| Summary : "Castle Ring", a motte and bailey situated at the edge of the precipitous North facing slopes of the Downs, an unusual position, but one commanding a view North over the Weald, and South to the coast. The motte is circa 30.0m in diameter and 2.0m high, though reduced by mutilation on its summit, enclosed by a ditch, circa 6.0m wide and 0.8m deep with traces of an outer bank. The sub-rectangular bailey to the North of the motte is 35.0m East-West by circa 30.0m North-South internally, enclosed by a bank, circa 8.0m wide and up to 1.0m high and a ditch, circa 6.0m wide and 2.0m to 3.5m deep below the crest of the bank. An outer bank is visible on the West and South-East sides, but the steep natural slopes to the N make a bank around that side unnecessary. The motte is flanked to the North by two smaller mounds, probably resulting from the cutting of an East-West track across the whole work. The earthwork remains of the motte and bailey are visible as earthworks on air photographs and lidar and were mapped as part of the Changing Chalk: Downs from Above Aerial Survey project.
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| More information : (TQ 23781100) Castle Ring (TI) Motte & Bailey (GT). (1)
Edburton, a motte and bailey earthwork 60yds diameter (See illus card for plan from VCH). On the verge of the fosse which separates the mount from the bailey are two hillocks which may have formed part of the defence or may be the result of making a modern cart-road through the earthwork (2). It is probably an outpost castle of c 1066. (4)
Scheduled (5).
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (6)
"Castle Ring", a motte and bailey situated at the edge of the precipitous N-facing slopes of the Downs, an unusual position, but one commanding a view N over the Weald, and S to the coast. The motte is c 30.0m in diameter and 2.0m high, though reduced by mutilation on its summit, enclosed by a ditch, c 6.0m wide and 0.8m deep with traces of an outer bank.
The sub-rectangular bailey to the N of the motte is 35.0m E-W by c 30.0m N-S internally, enclosed by a bank, c 8.0m wide and up to 1.0m high and a ditch, c 6.0m wide and 2.0m to 3.5m deep below the crest of the bank. An outer bank is visible on the W and SE sides, but the steep natural slopes to the N make a bank around that side unnecessary.
The motte is flanked to the N by two smaller mounds, probably resulting from the cutting of an E-W track across the whole work.
Survey of 15 4 59 (25") correct. (7)
The medieval motte and bailey is visible as earthworks on air photographs and lidar and was mapped as part of the Changing Chalk: Downs from Above Aerial Survey project. As described above, it comprises a low mound with a diameter of approximately 33.5m. The bailey is located to the north, being rectilinear in plan and comprises very broad banks. This and the motte are surrounded by a narrow ditch, with additional outer remparts on the west, south and east. Two linear ditches extend away from the bailey to the east - though whether they're associated with the defensive site or later in date is uncertain. A pit cut into the west rampart, adjacent to the motte might be a Second World War weapons pit. (8)
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