Scheduled Ancient Monument: MOTTE CASTLE KNOWN AS THE MOUNT, 440M SOUTH WEST OF ST MARY'S CHURCH (30527)

he monument includes a motte castle known as The Mount, which is situated near the upper edge of a north east facing slope, at the end of a broad, low ridge above the valley of a small stream, The Gull. From this position it overlooks the village of Otley to the north and the road to Clopton and Grundisburgh which follows the course of the stream to the east. The motte is visible as a large, sub-circular mound measuring approximately 50m in diameter at the base and standing to a height of approximately 4m. The lower sides are steeply sloped and the top, which measures up to 37m in diameter, is slightly, but asymmetrically convex in profile, highest on the north side, rather than completely level. The mound is encircled by a wide ditch which has become largely infilled but which will survive as a buried feature. On the south west side, where this ditch is not under cultivation, it is visible as a hollow up to 18m in width and approximately 1m in depth below the surface of the adjoining field. Elsewhere it can be traced as a slightly dished platform or a gentle inward slope to the base of the mound.