| Summary : Earthworks of a medieval motte, inner and outer baileys and possible fishponds in Hodnet Park. The motte is in the southeast corner of a rectangular inner bailey. It has a base diameter of 45 metres and a height of 3 metres. The summit, 26 metres across has been disturbed. The encircling ditch is 8 metres wide and up to 3.5 metres deep. The inner bailey is bounded by a ditch, from 2.6 metres deep on the west side to 3.5 metres deep on the east side and from 12 metres to 26 metres in width. Across the west side is a causewayed entrance, 30 metres to the north is a 30 metre stretch of inner bank, which is 0.6 metres in height. The outer bailey is triangular in plan, bounded by a ditch, 12 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep. Excavations in 1892 revealed the remains of a building, masonry structures and pottery. The castle is now situated within a 20th century designed landscape. Scheduled. |
More information : (Centred: SJ 6132 2843) Castle (NR) (Site of) (NAT). (1)
Mound, with ditch surmounted by a bank, varying from 3ft high on the north to 11ft high on the south, where it is bounded by a stream. This stream forms the southern side of the remains of a quadrangular court of bank and ditch, and on the southern bank there is an extension of the eastern vallum. Another irregular court, bounded by a moat, is attached to the western side of the first bailey. (2)
Motte and bailey resurveyed at 1:2500. (3)
Excavations in 1892 on top of the mound revealed the rubble wall of the tower, 12ft 4in. thick, from which the facing stones had been removed. At the bottom of the inner moat animal bones and yellow-glazed red earthenware were found. To the east the basement of a Norman building projecting into the moat was discovered resting on a layer containing bones and pottery as above. The angle, of solid masonry 2 ft 3 in thick, supported an ashlar wall of three courses 33 ft long east to west and 20 ft long north to south. A trench from the eastern side of the moat in the direction of the tower revealed more masonry. (4)
A motte, situated within the SE corner of a rectangular inner bailey. It has a base diameter of 45.0 m and a height above outside ground level of 3.0 m. The summit, 26.0 m across has been much dug about and has a confused appearance. The encircling ditch is 8.0 m wide and up to 3.5 m deep. The inner bailey is bounded by a ditch, from 2.6 m deep on the W side to 3.5 m deep on the E side and from 12.0 m to 26.0 m in width. On the N side, within a plantation, it has been destroyed.
Across the W side is a causewayed entrance from the outer bailey, and 30.0 m to the N is a 30.0 m stretch of inner bank, 0.6 m in height.
The outer bailey (to the west of the inner) is of triangular shape. Like the inner bailey it is bounded by a ditch, 12.0 m in width and 1.5 m in depth. From the SE corner of the inner bailey, below the motte, a large, earthen bank, 15.0 m in width and 2.8 m in height, crosses low ground, southwards, for 80.0 m and then turns W for about 25.0 m to rejoin higher ground. (This latter stretch has been largely destroyed by quarrying). The purpose of the bank was to retain a large stretch of water either for additional defence or possibly for a mill of which there are now no traces. There is a breach at the N end, through which flows a small stream which follows a deep, modern drainage-type ditch along the probable course of the S ditch to the baileys. This was dug when a string of fishponds was constructed in the grounds of Hodnet Hall.
Within the SE corner of the outer bailey, a dry depression, 20.0 m long, 8.0 m wide and 1.3 m deep, open to the ditch at its E end, may be the remains of a fish-pond.
Published 1:2500 survey, 1970, revised. (5)
SJ 613 284: Castle, motte and bailey. Scheduled. (6)(7)
The monument on Castle Hill includes the earthwork and buried remains of a motte and bailey castle, the standing structural remains of a tower keep, and the associated remains of a park pale, a fish pond and a formal garden.
The castle is situated within Hodnet Park, a 20th century designed landscape which is registered as a Park and Garden Grade II.
To the south east of the castle there is a linear bank of approximately 80 metres in length running north west-south east which is considered to be the remains of the eastern boundary of the medieval deer park.
A watermill has been indicated close to the castle but the location is unknown.
There is evidence of ridge and furrow cultivation 80 metres to the south of the castle. (8)
Listed by Cathcart King. (9) |