Monument record MDO1100 - Earthwork on Castle Hill, East Chelborough

The earthwork remains of a Motte and Bailey castle. The castle occupies the ridge top at Castle Hill on the west side of the road. The oval shaped motte lies south west of the irregular shaped bailey and rises about 30 feet above it. The motte, constructed by steepening the natural scarp of the summit of the hill, is about 70 yards by 90 yards and has been much damaged on the side by quarrying. Scheduled.

A medieval motte and bailey occupies the ridge top at Castle Hill on the west side of the road. The oval-shaped motte lies south west of the irregular-shaped bailey and rises about 30 feet above it. The motte, constructed by steepening the natural scarp of the summit of the hill, is about 70 yards by 90 yards and has been much damaged on the side by quarrying. The ground falls rapidly on the west side but less so on the east side. South of the scarp of the bailey is a large rhomboidal enclosure. There appears to be no historical evidence of the existence of a castle though, according to Hutchins, the foundations of a wall a clay-lined well or tank, swords and other iron relics were dug up on Castle Hill. It may be that this site was occupied when the site to the east became unsuitable. <1> <4> <5>

From excavations and enquiries it is believed that a Norman castle crowned the hill. It was built of forest marble the ruins of which were used to build a nearby farmhouse. <2>

ST 552055, listed as a ringwork, category Dd i.e. it is situated on a convenient hillock. It has a very large bailey. <7>

Authority 2 correct. 1:2500 survey revised. <8>

The site was surveyed by staff of RCHME during 1987, for further information see archive collection. <9> <13>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 655 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1896, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, xxxvii (Serial). SDO10.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 90 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(2) EARTHWORK, on Castle Hill near the middle of the parish, presumably represents a mediæval castlesite. The work occupies a ridge-top (about 600 ft. above O.D.) on the W. side of the road. An irregular shaped bailey has been formed, with a motte in the S.W. angle apparently constructed by steepening the natural scarp of the summit of the hill. There are traces of a narrow ditch round the base of the motte towards the E. and S. The motte rises about 30 ft. above the bailey and is an oval of about 90 yards by 70 yards; the top and sides have been much disturbed and there is a path running up the S.W. slope. The ground falls rapidly on the W. side of the bailey and there is a slighter slope on the E. which is bordered by the deeply sunk roadway. To the S. of the scarp of the bailey is a large rhomboidal enclosure. To the N. of the motte is a quarry which has much damaged the work. There seems to be no historical evidence of the existence of a castle here, but the analogous work (3) in the lower land to the E. may indicate that a castle was first constructed there, with subsequent removal to the ridge-top owing to the dampness of the first site.'

<5> St Joseph, J K, J K St Joseph AR 81-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18797.

<6> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

Castle Hill (NR)

<7> Taylor, A J (ed), 1969, Chateau Gaillard 3: Conference at Battle, Sussex, 19-24 September 1966 (Monograph). SDO18796.

<8> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 22-NOV-71 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<9> Lewis, C R, Field investigators comments CRL, 1987 (Unpublished document). SDO17943.

<10> Corney, M, 1987, Ordnance Survey Map Revision, West Dorset (Article in serial). SDO14053.

‘RCHME is responsible for supplying the Ordnance Survey with up to date surveys of antiquities for depiction on larger scale OS plans. The Melbury area of West Dorset is currently under revision at 1:2500 scale, and the following sites were recorded at a basic scale of 1:1000 with reductions of 1:2500 being supplied to the OS at Southampton. A selection of those sites recorded is noted below. … East Chelborough, 2 motte and bailey castles and settlement remains, ST 553054: The motte and bailey castles, located within 150 metres of each other were recorded in detail. Both bore traces of masonry structures on the mottes. Below (west of) the westernmost castle previously unrecorded remains of a small medieval settlement were noted, as was a post-medieval house site with associated garden earthworks.‘

<11> Council for British Archaeology, 1987, Council for British Archaeology Group 12: Newsletter, October 1987, 9-10 (Serial). SDO15257.

<12> Lewis, C, 1989, Paired Mottes in East Chelborough, Dorset (Article in monograph). SDO16392.

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AF0888771 RCHME: East Chelborough, Dorset (Index). SDO14738.

The remains of 2 motte and bailey castles and nearby medieval and post-medieval settlement were surveyed in 1987 by RCHME Salisbury as part of an Ordnance Survey revision.Contents : 3 plans, report, publications proofsCondition : INTACTBibliographic Reference: 1) Volume 209

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 888773 East Chelborough mottes and baileys/ink survey (Index). SDO14738.

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 888870 East Chelborough mottes and baileys/pencil survey (Index). SDO14738.

Inscription: Chelborough I

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 932919 East Chelborough - a paired motte site in Dorset (Index). SDO14738.

<17> National Record of the Historic Environment, 195686 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 15 2022 6:15PM