| Summary : Woodford Wood motte and bailey. The sub-circular motte, stands on average 2.4 metres above its ditch and has an elliptical top, 16 metres by 10 metres, badly mutilated by a modern bank and ditch. It is encircled by a ditch, circa 6 metres wide and on average 1 metre deep, which has been damaged by a small quarry on the northwest. The sub-rectangular bailey measured 23 metres internally north east to south west and 27 metres north west to south east and is situated on lower ground to the north east of the motte, by which it is protected. There are other earthworks present. Scheduled. |
More information : (SS39711266) CAMP (R) (1)
Earthwork (NR) (2)
Possible motte and bailey in Woodford Wood, see plan. A ditched enclosure within which is a possible motte defined by the ditch and crescent-shaped bank.
(Scheduled under 'Camps and Settlements') (3)
Partly visible on AP. (4)
SS 39701266 This small motte and bailey lies at the north east end of a broad spur above the very steep sided valley of the R Torridge. It lies at 125m above OD and some 20m above the river and is bisected by a modern bank and ditch.
The sub-circular motte, stands on average 2.4m above its ditch and has an elliptical top, 16.0m by 10.0m, badly mutilated by the modern bank and ditch. It is encircled by a broad ditch, c 6.0m wide and an average 1.0m deep, which has been damaged by a small quarry on the northwest. The sub-rectangular bailey measures internally 23.0m north east to south west and 27.0m north west to south east and lies on lower ground to the north east of the motte, by which it is protected. The north west bank and ditch are well preserved, the 6.0m wide bank standing 2.7m above the 4.0m wide and 0.8m deep ditch.
That on the south east is poorer and of different character, the 7.0m wide bank standing only 1.2m above the 5.0m wide and 0.3m deep ditch. At the north and east angles both bank and ditch turn and terminate abruptly, the intervening gap being a naturally steep slope, possible augmented by scarping. The original entrance to the bailey lies in the west angle, where it is protected by the motte, and is represented by a causeway across, and askew to the ditch. There is no evidence of internal structures.
In addition a bank, approx 2.0m wide and 0.2m high, with outer ditch approx 2.0m wide and 0.2m deep, lies parallel to, and on average 5m from, the motte ditch, on its south west side. (Because of the scale factor it is represented by a scarp on the 1:2500 survey). A similar bank, standing 0.7m above an outer ditch, forms a small sub-rectangular enclosure outside the bailey entrance. These banks and ditches are unlikely to have been coppice banks, since they have been laid out with specific reference to the motte, and the bailey entrance, pre-date the modern bank and ditch. It would seem reasonable therefore to consider them as the remains of an outwork and barbican, possibly palisade banks, giving additional protection on the most vulnerable side, where the ground slopes gently uphill and overlooks the motte, and the bailey entrance. Another low bank, running from bailey ditch in the south east, for 20m, to the edge of the natural slope is enigmatic, with no obvious planned relationship to the main works.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on AO Model. (5)
Listed by Cathcart King. (6) |