Monument record ASG 001 - Castle Hill Motte (Med)

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Summary

Scheduled Monument - presumed Motte and Bailey castle.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 9912 6750 (74m by 73m)
Map sheet TL96NE
Civil Parish GREAT ASHFIELD, MID SUFFOLK, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (5)

Full Description

1971: Castle, Motte and Bailey. 40m diameter, 3.5m high, surrounded by a wet ditch 4-5m wide, fed by a stream from N. Summit flat, 15m across.Tree covered. ? Field boundary indicates Bailey to S (S1).
TL 992 675: 3 sherds circa C12 pottery found 1968 by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) per B Brown (S4). ? Further information in B Brown archive.
1975: Castle Hill is a motte about 11 ft high and 40 yd in diameter. It is surrounded by a wet ditch 4-5 yd wide, which, having been cut into the base of the mound, appears to be later. The motte is thickly covered with trees and situated in flat fields of pasture. Roman tiles have been picked up in an area (S2).
1981: Motte thickly covered with trees and dog's mercury weed. Estimate height to be nearer 15 ft than 11 ft. Moat choked with wood in parts. No Roman materials noted in surrounding field - though this would be difficult to see under crop (S2).
Fieldwalking in the castle bailey produced a C13-C14 scatter of which circa 25% were shell tempered. There were no ruins but may be C12-C13 (S3).
1986: Motte overgrown with deciduous trees and scrub. Daffodils on flat top. Weathered heap of earth on NE edge of top(?)soil from an unrecorded excavation. Outer edge of moat is also tree-covered. Moat joins with field ditches to NW and N. It is becoming choked with vegetation and fallen trees. Curvature of field boundaries to E and W suggest bailey (S2).
Named 'Castle Hill', adjoining 'Castle Piece' in 1845 tithe.
See also Rom.

Sources/Archives (9)

  • <R1> (No record type): SAU, AP AFF 27.
  • <M1> (No record type): AP: AFF 27.
  • <S1> Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TL96NE1.
  • <M2> (No record type): SAM file:.
  • <S2> Unpublished document: DOE scheduling information.
  • <R2> Bibliographic reference: 1911. Victoria County History, Suffolk (VCH). 591 (ill).
  • <S3> (No record type): Birch M & W, SAFG.
  • <M3> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Basil Brown archive:.
  • <S4> Index: Ipswich Museum. IPSMG card. IPSMG, card Great Ashfield, Med.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (5)

Record last edited

Jul 8 2022 10:49PM

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