More information : (TQ 03731894) Motte and Bailey (NR). (1)
Park Mound, a typical motte and bailey castle of the immediately post-conquest type, is situated upon a natural sand ridge which slopes percipitously on the NW to the River Arun. The ridge was artifically heightened at its NE end to form the mound which is about 100 ft high and which is enclosed on the E, S and W by a dry ditch about 6 ft deep, with an outer bank to it. The mound has been cut into by quarrying on the W side, destroying part of the summit, but the level area must always have been small, about 100 ft in diameter, and could only have carried a small tower. To the W, upon the ridge, is a small bailey, defended on the NW by the natural slopes and enclosed to the S by a ditch cutting across the ridge top and continuing on the S side to join the ditch of the motte thus forming a kidney-shaped enclosure. (2-3)
Park Mount. Mutilated mound with a bailey W of mound 250 x 200 ft. Fosse of enclosure on E, S and W sides, that on S continuous with that of mound. The N side is scarped away to the precipitous side of the hill. The mound is 60'-80' high, too covered with trees, bushes and bracken for careful examination. (4)
Park Mound, motte and bailey as described above, except that there is no evidence of an outer bank to the motte ditch. There
is an original causewayed entrance in the SW side of the bailey close to the steep, natural slopes. A large sunken hollow occupying most of the internal area of the bailey, opens out through the slopes on the S side and may have been caused by natural erosion, the soil being soft sand, or by sand quarrying. The site is largely wooded and is in fairly good condition apart from minor mutilations and the quarrying mentioned above.
Published 1:2500 survey revised. (5) |