More information : (SP 2579 4568) "At Halford Bridge ... is a small enclosure with a slight mount and a ditch at one time, no doubt, was filled with water by the river. It is a little lower down the stream than the bridge and at the place where the original pond, from which the place took its name, is situated. It is known as 'The Castle' and is presumably the site of the first manor house or 'castle' ... It is noteworthy that in the 1332 Subsidy Roll there are the names in Halford of Robert de Castro and John atte Castel, men who lived near the place then known as 'castle'. The old people in the village say they have been told that the pigeon-cote once stood in the castle enclosure. It is marked on the O.S.1:2500 but it is not called a castle. (1)
The mound is rectangular and was probably cut from the adjacent river terrace, by which it is overlooked. There are no traces of foundations on the mound and no associated enclosure or ditch were identified. (2)
Scheduled as 'Motte and Bailey at Halford, 150yds (140m) NW of St Mary's Church'. (3)
Additional bibliography. (4)
The flat-topped mound has a diameter of 28 metres at its base and stands some 4 metres high. A quarry ditch surrounds the mound, on all but the western side, and survives as a buried feature 5 metres wide. On the western side the river serves as a natural boundary. There are references to a castle at Halford in the early 14th century Subsidy Roll and the motte castle is believed to be the predecessor to the present manor house situated some 260 metres to the north east. (5)
The remains of the motte described above (Sources 1-2) was viewed and mapped on historical aerial photographs as part of the SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds HLS NMP project. The mound appears to be more circular (as apposed to being 'rectangular') on the aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1947, which does differ from its form on later aerial photographs. Sometime after 1947 the tennis court was constructed which may have 'squared' off the eastern side of the mound. Although a substantial ditch can not be seen surrounding the motte there is a faint hint of one on the aerial photographs. The aerial photographs also show a small scooped area on top of the mound which may represent buildings remains of the 'castle' or the site of the possible pigeon-cote referred to in Source 1. (6-8) |