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 was 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.
Details
The monument includes a castle of the Norman period which comprises an inner
near-circular enclosure, or ringwork, and an outer enclosure, or bailey. The
ringwork is defined by a massive ditch on the northern and eastern sides
which still survives to a depth of over 6m. On the inner edge is an earthen
bank or rampart which stands to between 1.4 and 2.4m above the level of the
land in the interior. The ditch is spanned on the NE side by a causeway 3m
wide which marks the original access route into the inner part of the
castle. The bank and ditch of the ringwork gives way on the south side to
the steep natural slope of the hill, while on the western side it has been
partially-levelled to make room for a large Victorian house.
The main building within the ringwork was a house some 24m square. Its
undercroft survives in places to a height of 2.5m beneath rubble from the
house's collapse. The house had living quarters on the first floor, to which
access was gained via stairs at the NW and SE corners. The house has been
partially excavated, but the north-eastern half remains uninvestigated.
The outer defences comprise a bank and ditch which surround the ringwork on
all sides except the south, although they have been levelled on the western
side. To the north and east the bank survives to a maximum height of 1.6m
and averages 7m across. Between the inner and outer defences was the bailey,
where ancillary buildings such as stables and storage huts were sited.
The modern structures within the castle earthworks, the access roads and
service trenches and all fences are excluded from the scheduling, although
the ground beneath each (except Castle Place, which has cellars) is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
12786
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
