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 sub-rectangular earthwork enclosure representing an
earthwork ringwork, situated c.100m south west of Manor Farm in Ardley Wood.
Quarries lie to the immediate south and west of the site.
The earthworks consist of a 7m wide ditch which is open to a depth of c.2.3m
with a single causeway entrance in the north east corner. The ditch encloses
an area 66m from north to south and between 40m and 50m from east to west.
There was originally a low internal bank which is now only visible on parts of
the north west and south east sides. Where visible this measures c.2.5m wide
and stands up to 0.6m high. This may well have been much more substantial or
included a pallisade or wall in its original form.
Within the enclosure are several possible building platforms which may
represent accommodation and stables.
The monument is believed to have originally been a Norman ringwork reused
later in the medieval period as a dry-moated settlement site.
Excluded from the scheduling is the boundary fence, although the ground
beneath is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28166
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
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
