Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 67014
Hob Uid: 67014
Location : Cheshire West and Chester Dodleston
Grid Ref : SJ3614060870
Summary : Motte and bailey castle surviving as an earthwork. The motte averages 3.3 metres in height and was surrounded by a ditch with an average depth of 2.3 metres. The ditch has been obliterated in the north. The motte is flat topped, and bears no visible trace of building foundations. A well defined bailey is present. Landscape gardening has mutilated parts of the monument. Scheduled.
More information : [SJ 36146087] Site of CASTLE [G.T.] MOAT [GT] (1) 'The site of the ancient seat of the Boydells at Dodleston, is still marked by a fosse and strong earthworks, immediately west of the church...The keep tower defended by another fosse and a circular mound, occupied the north east angle. Within the site was erected a later mansion... (the site is now part of the church glebe)... This hall....probably.... the headquarters of Sir Willian Brereton during the siege of Chester [1642] is taken down... The present house... (is occupied as a farmhouse)' . (2) Further references. (3-7) Dodleston Castle - Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (8) "It has been reported to the Chester and North Wales Archaeological and Historical Society that some remains of ancient earthworks have been removed from the grounds at 'Dodleston Vicarage... in order to improve the garden. (9) A grass and tree covered motte and bailey that has been considerably mutilated in the past, and is still being slightly mutilated by gardening and by the infilling of refuse from the churchyard. The motte averages 3.3m in height and was surrounded by a ditch with an average depth of 2.3m. The ditch has been obliterated in the north. The motte is flat-topped, and bears no visible trace of building foundations. The bailey consists of a strong ditch with an average width of 12.0m, an inner depth of 2.4m, and an outer depth of 1.6m. It is marshy in places, and a fragment of inner bank, with a maximum height of 0.5m. remains in the NW. The ditch of the bailey once encircled the ditch of the motte, but is now obliterated in the NW. No trace was found of an entrance across the bailey ditch, or to the motte. No trace was found of the hall extant in 1642. A 25" survey has been made. (10) Published survey (25" 1960) correct. (11) Landscape gardening and the construction of a drive have resulted in further mutilation to the NW side of the bailey. Otherwise no change to the field report of 18 8 59. Published survey (1:2500) revised on MSD.(12) Listed by Cathcart King. (13) Medieval motte & bailey visible as earthworks on historic vertical photography and lidar imagery in the parish of Dodleston, centred at SJ 361 614. This is extant on the latest 2017 lidar imagery and was mapped as part of the Cheshire Aerial Investigation and Mapping Project. (14).

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1913
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : 'History of Cheshire' Vol 2 1882 p.847 plan (G. Ormerod)
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Source Number : 11
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Source details : F2 JR 10-JUL-64
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Source Number : 12
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Source details : F3 DJC 11-NOV-75
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Source Number : 13
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Source Number : 14
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Source details : RAF/CPE/UK/1935 RP 3323 17-JAN-1947
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : 'History of the County Palatine of Chester' 1823 pp.305-6 (J.H. Hanshall)
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Source Number : 4
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : (G.T. Clark)
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Vol(s) : 46 - 1889

Source Number : 6
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Source details : (W. Harrison)
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Vol(s) : 25 - 1907

Source Number : 7
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Source details : Corr 6" (G. Webster 1953)
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : Ancient monuments in England and Wales 1958 (MOW)
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Report of the Earthworks Committee, Congress of Arch. Soc. 1912, p.8.
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Source Number : 10
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Source details : F1 RWE 18-AUG-59
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Motte And Bailey
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Post Medieval
Monument End Date : 1901
Monument Start Date : 1540
Monument Type : Country House
Evidence : Building

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : CH 46
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 13501
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SJ 36 SE 9
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Cheshire)
External Cross Reference Number : 1978/2
External Cross Reference Notes : PrefRef

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1959-08-18
End Date : 1959-08-18

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1964-07-10
End Date : 1964-07-10

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1975-11-11
End Date : 1975-11-11

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 67014