Earthwork 600ft (180m) NW of Coupland Beck Farmhouse

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1007177
Date first listed:: 17-Nov-1964

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1007177
Date first listed:: 17-Nov-1964

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Westmorland and Furness (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Murton
National Grid Reference:: NY 70970 18974

Summary

Motte, 119m north west of Couplandbeck Bridge.

Reasons for Designation

Motte castles are medieval fortifications introduced into Britain by the Normans. They comprised a large conical mound of earth or rubble, the motte, surmounted by a palisade and a stone or timber tower. In a majority of examples an embanked enclosure containing additional buildings, the bailey, adjoined the motte. Motte castles and motte-and-bai1ey castles acted as garrison forts during offensive military operations, as strongholds, and, in many cases, as aristocratic residences and as centres of local or royal administration. Built in towns, villages and open countryside, motte castles generally occupied strategic positions dominating their immediate locality and, as a result, are the most visually impressive monuments of the early post-Conquest period surviving in the modern landscape. Over 600 motte castles and motte-and-bailey castles are recorded nationally, with examples known from most regions. Some 100-150 examples do not have baileys and are classified as motte castles. As one of a restricted range of recognised early post-Conquest monuments, they are particularly important for the study of Norman Britain and the development of the feudal system. Although many were occupied for only a short period of time, motte castles continued to be built and occupied from the 11th to the 13th centuries, after which they were superseded by other types of castle.

The Motte 119m north west of Couplandbeck Bridge is reasonably well-preserved as an earthwork. The monument provides insight into fortifications of earlier medieval date and will contain archaeological deposits relating to its construction, use and abandonment.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 23 March 2016. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes the remains of a motte of medieval date, situated on the end of a natural spur. The enclosure, which is preserved as an earthwork, is oval in plan and measures approximately 20m by 15m. The enclosure is surrounded by a rampart except for on the south side and an intermittent ditch with a depth of about 1m.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: CU 272
Legacy System:: RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:- 14890

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.