Castle Haugh Ringwork, Newsholme

Overview

Heritage Category: Scheduled Monument

List Entry Number: 1012521

Date first listed: 07-Mar-1963

Date of most recent amendment: 08-Jan-1991

Location

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

National Grid Reference: SD 82996 50776

Reasons for Designation

Ringworks are medieval fortifications built and occupied from the late Anglo-Saxon period to the later 12th century. They comprised a small defended area containing buildings which wad surrounded or partly surrounded by a substantial ditch and a bank surmounted by a timber palisade or, rarely, a stone wall. Occasionally a more lightly defended embanked enclosure, the bailey, adjoined the ringwork. Ringworks acted as strongholds for military operations and in some cases as defended aristocratic or manorial settlements. They are rare nationally with only 200 recorded examples and less than 60 with baileys. As such, and as one of a limited number and very restricted range of Anglo-Saxon and Norman fortifications, ringworks are of particular significance to our understanding of the period. Castle Haugh ringwork survives well, its earthworks being particularly evident. The lack of subsequent occupation of the site means buried structural remains and environmental evidence are likely to survive well.

Details

Castle Haugh ringwork, known locally as Cromwell's Basin, occupies the NW end of a tongue of high ground overlooking the River Ribble and commands extensive views to the NE and SE. The monument comprises a circular mound 5-6m high artificially raised above the external ground level. It is surrounded for much of its circumference by a dry ditch 2m deep. An earthen breastwork runs around the summit of the mound on all sides except the W. All fences on the monument are excluded from the scheduling, however, the ground beneath them is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number: 13414

Legacy System: RSM

Sources

Other
Capstick, B, AM 107 (Castle Haugh Ringwork), (1986)
Lancs SMR, PRN 332,
Leach,P.E., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Ringworks, (1988)
Leech, P, AM 107 (Castle Haugh Ringwork), (1983)

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 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.