| Summary : A small circular enclosure, adapted to the contours of the isolated summit of Hood Hill, approximating to a motte and bailey. It may be the site of Hood Castle. License to crenellate was granted in 1264, with provision for a dyke and wall of stone, but the castle may have been constructed originally by Robert de Stuteville (1086-1106) at whose attainder it passed to Henry I. The castle is last mentioned in 1322. Scheduled. This site was mapped as part of the North York Moors National Park NMP, visible as earthworks on air photographs. The features comprise a motte and moat, a ditch and bank defined enclosure, a number of boundary banks and a hollow to the north that may represent building remains. Two medieval/ post medieval hollow ways (UID 1525654) may be associated. A large post medieval limestone quarry to the immediate west (UID 1525655) may have earlier origins and served construction of the castle. Smaller localised quarry at the site of the castle (UID 1525656) may be associated but also has potentialy destroyed elements of the monument. The motte and moat appear to be extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography; the current condition of the other features could not be ascertained owing to tree cover. |
More information : (SE 50378140) "Medieval Fort". The summit of Hood Hill is occupied by a small circular enclosure, approximating to a motte and bailey adapted to the hill's contours. It has double rock-cut ditches on all sides but the E, where there is a precipitous slope. Here landslips may have obliterated its defences. Below it to the south is another ditch continued as scarping on the W side.(a) In the absence of an alternative site Whitaker suggests that these enclosures represent Hood Castle. License to crenellate was granted in 1264, with provision for a dyke and wall of stone, but the castle may have been constructed originally by Robert de Stuteville (1086-1106) at whose attainder it passed to Henry I. The castle is last mentioned in 1322.
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Circular ditched feature visible on the edge of precipitous slope. (2)
SE 50388141 A probable motte occupying the summit of a conical hill 275.0m as with commanding views in all directions. The E side of the hill is precipitous, slumping has taken place and there is no evidence that this side contained earthworks, nor would such be necessary for the steepness of the hill would be sufficient defence. The top of the hill was probably flat before the land slipped, and measured approximately 60.0m N-S by 30.0m E-W. However, slips have produced several large depressions in the top, but there is no evidence of masonry foundations. Below the mound a crescent shaped ditch has been excavated and an outer bank built up, the ditch being up to 2.0m deep at its extremities. There is no evidence of the ditch to the S mentioned by Ramm, or any sign of a bailey. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD by air-ground.
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SE 503814. Castle on Hood Hill scheduled.
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SE 5038 8141. Hood Hill motte and bailey. Scheduled RSM No 20524.
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Listed by Cathcart King
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A castle at Hood is referred to in 1218, no reference to a castle there being made in the reigns of Henry II, Richard I or John, which may indicate that it was an adulterine castle of 1215-7.
(7)
This site was mapped as part of the North York Moors National Park NMP, visible as earthworks on air photographs. The features comprise a motte and moat, a ditch and bank defined enclosure, a number of boundary banks and a hollow to the north that may represent building remains. Two medieval/ post medieval hollow ways (UID 1525654) may be associated. A large post medieval limestone quarry to the immediate west (UID 1525655) may have earlier origins and served construction of the castle. Smaller localised quarry at the site of the castle (UID 1525656) may be associated but also has potentialy destroyed elements of the monument. The motte and moat appear to be extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography; the current condition of the other features could not be ascertained owing to tree cover.
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