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CASTLE TOLL

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

EORPEBURNHAM

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DESCRIPTION

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Earthworks occupy the end of a peninsula jutting into Romney Marsh and are of two distinct phases. The entire end of the peninsula appear to have been enclosed with defences more pronounced to the west across the landward approach. Excavation has shown that the works were unfinished; they are now badly damaged by ploughing. There is a strong possibility that this is the unfinished Eorpeburnan of the Burghal Hidage and mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle 892 as having been attacked by the Danes.

Within the large enclosure is Castle Toll, sub rectangular in plan with a motte like mound. Excavation showed that this had two phases of construction; early and mid 13th century.

DETAIL

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(TQ 85172840) Castle Toll (NAT)
Motte & Bailey (NR) (1)

Castle Toll. This earthwork occupies the extreme end of a tongue of land projecting east-north-east into the low marsh land between the river Rother and its tributary the Hexden Channel and about 20 ft above sea-level. The entrenchments are simple, consisting of a ditch and rampart, now greatly reduced by agriculture, excavations and rabbit burrowing. According to some authorities this is the site of Anderida but there is no evidence of Roman work or occupation and C.R.Smith is quite positive that it is not. The earthwork has every appearance of being Saxon or Danish in origin with the exception of the north-east corner where there appears to be a Norman "mount and bailey" fortification known as Castle Toll. The VCH lists it under unclassified Earthworks. Listed under Castles in the DOE scheduled
list. (2,3,4)

Apart from the mutilation of the motte by excavation and rabbit burrows, the motte and bailey is in fair condition. The 'earlier' work has been extensively reduced by cultivation, and without excavation, it is impossible to determine its relationship to the
motte. Published 25" survey revised. (5)

A detailed contour-survey and trial excavation was carried out by the Minstry of Buildings and Works during the autumn of 1965 at Castle Toll. The site comprises two distinct earthwork enclosures. The earlier of these is 1500 ft by 600 ft and was defended by a rampart and ditch of considerable size. Very little is now left of these defences except in the south-west corner, and the date of this work isunknown. Sited on a spur commanding the river Rother it is possible that it represents the 'missing' Burghal Hidage town of Eorpeburnam. The northern earthwork (the Castle Toll proper) is sub-rectangular, defended by a rampart 4 to 8 ft high with a much mutilated mound in the north-east corner. It seems to have been a small, 13th century military post against riverine attack, without permanent domestic habitation and occupied briefly during two periods which may be described as 'invasions scares'. (6)

Newenden [TQ 853285] S. The defences of the 16-acre enclosure set on the end of a peninsular jutting into Romney Marsh were found to have been abandoned unfinished. This supports (though it does not prove) an identification of the site with the half-finished 'work' mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 892 as having been attacked by the Danes, and hence possibly with the hitherto-unidentified Burghal Hidage site of Eorpeburnan. (Mr B.K. Davison) (7)

TQ 852284. The earthworks at Newenden occupy the end of a mile long penisula jutting ENE into the Romney Marsh. The entire end of the peninsular seems to have been enclosed, the defences surviving for themost part merely as a low scarp. Only to the west, along the neck of the peninsular, is the approach easy and here the defences are more marked. Even so the total relief is not more than 1.0m and ploughing has completely obliterated part of the work. Set within this larger enclosure is a smaller, but much stronger, work with ramparts 2.3m high. This Castle Toll, sub-rectangular in plan with a low motte-likemound in the NE corner. Excavation in 1965 indicates two periods of construction for Castle Toll; the early and mid-13th century. The site was provisionally interpreted as a military post. Excavations in 1971 of the SW side of the larger enclosure show that the defences
were not completed in the form intended. A strong possibility remains that this is the unfinished fort of the Burghal Hidage list called Eorpeburnan. (8)

TQ 852284. The earthworks at Newenden occupy the hooked end of a milelong peninsula jutting ENE into the Romney Marsh. The entire end of the peninsula seems to have been enclosed, the defences surviving for the most part merely as a low scarp. Only to the west along the neck of the peninsula, is the approach easy and here the defences are more marked. Even so the total relief is not more than 1.0m and ploughing has completely obliterated part of the work. Set within this large enclosure is a smaller, but much stronger, work with ramparts 2-3m high. This is Castle Toll, sub rectangular in plan with a low motte-like mound in the NE corner. Excavation in 1965 indicates two periods of construction for Castle Toll; the early and mid-13th century and the site was provisionally interpreted as a military post. Excavations in 1971 of the SW side of the larger enclosure show thatthe defences were not completed in the form intended. A strong possibility remains that this is the unfinished fort of the Burghal Hidage list called Eorpeburnan. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1961

( 2) edited by William Page 1908 The Victoria history of the county of Kent, volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England (I C Gould) Page(s)442-3

( 3) General reference

Ancient Monuments of England & Wales 1961 59

( 4) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

1880 (C R Smith) 13 Page(s)488-91

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 05.03.63

( 6) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

1965 (B K Davison) 80 Page(s)LIII

( 7) General reference

Archaeological Excavations (DOE) 1971 31 (B K Davison)

( 8) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

1972 (B K Davison) 16 Page(s)123-7

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