The Mound, Walton Place

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of time, motte castles continued to be built and occupied from the 11th to the 13th centuries, after which they were superseded by other types of castle.

Details

The Mound was originally identified as a burial mound but more recent survey has identified it as a Motte, albeit of unusual form, of early post-Conquest date. It includes a large and flat-topped earthen mound at least partly- enclosed by a ditch which is easily visible on the south and south-east sides. The mound itself measures some 33m by 30m in overall diameter, of which the central 21- 23m is the flat top. The mound stands some 2.4m above the level of the surrounding land. The sides slope steeply, especially on the northern side where some alteration to the mound is likely to have accompanied the construction of the access road to Walton Place. The surviving part of the ditch is similarly steeply-sided and drops to a level some 1.5m below the surrounding ground. It has a maximum width of 9m. On all but the southern and south-eastern sides any ditch around the mound has been infilled to facilitate access to the neighbouring buildings of the medieval manor house. Little is known of the history of the mound. The manor of Walton was held by Richard de Tonbridge soon after the Conquest and later by Gilbert de Clare, both of whom are known to be prolific castle builders, but it was also owned by the Carew family in the early 17th century at which time the manor house was extensively rebuilt. The Mound may have been remodelled to form a prospect mount from which to view a formal garden during this period, accounting for its unusual form. Stone foundations of unknown date have been reported, although none are visible today. The metalling of the access road, where it lies within the protected area, is excluded from the scheduling.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

12781

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Stebbing, W, Walton Manor, (1910)

Other
AM 107 Scheduling Documentation, 1958, [TQ25 NW (Surrey Ant. 898)]

End of official list entry

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