Motte castle 220m north west of Higher Kempley Farm, Willaston

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of time, motte castles continued to be built and occupied from the 11th to the 13th centuries, after which they were superseded by other types of castle.

Although partially disturbed by later excavation, the motte castle 220m north west of Higher Kempley Farm is a well-preserved example of this class of monument. The mound will retain evidence of its constuction and the buried remains of the structures that once occupied the site. Organic remains preserved within the buried ground surface under the mound and within the surrounding ditch will provide valuable evidence about the local environment and the use of the land before and after the motte castle was constructed. The close proximity of the motte castle to the later moated site suggests these two monuments were related, thus indicating the changing forms of manorial residence.

Details

The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a motte castle occupying a commanding position on high ground in an area of gently undulating land. It lies 130m south west of a medieval moated site, which is the subject of a separate scheduling. The circular flat-topped earthen motte is approximately 25m at its base, 15m across the top and stands to a height of 1.8m. The south eastern quadrant has been cut into by a later pit, now visible as a shallow depression. The motte is surrounded by a broad ditch about 11m wide, which is apparent as a slight earthwork. The iron fence surrounding the motte is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it 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:

33832

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Heywood-Lonsdale, TC, (2000)

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