Reasons for Designation
Motte and bailey 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-bailey 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 and
bailey 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 or motte-and-bailey castles are recorded nationally,
with examples known from most regions. 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were superseded by other types of castle.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 monument at Malpas comprises the remnants of a medieval castle
surviving as a truncated earthwork cone, situated at a strategic
position on a spur of the Broxton Hills overlooking the town and much of
the surrounding countryside. The site was originally home to the Barons
of Malpas.
The motte lies N of St Oswald's Church, the graveyard of which extends
to the S and W sides of the motte. A bailey was probably originally
attached to the S side of the motte, but is now indistinct and its site
has been considerably disturbed by construction of the church and
burials in the churchyard. In view of the uncertainty over the precise
location of the bailey and the disturbed nature of this most probable
location it is not included in this scheduling.
The motte is bounded by a hedge and chestnut fencing and these are
excluded from the scheduling. The property boundary and the churchyard
boundary to the SE, S and W of the motte are also excluded from the
scheduling as is the tarmac lane to the E. The ground beneath all these
features, however, is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13420
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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.
End of official list entry
