Monument record MDO2454 - Mohun Castle, South Perrott

[ST 4716 0643] CASTLE [GT] (site of) (1)

MOHUN CASTLE, earthworks immediately S. of the church, consisted of a moated enclosure with two or more outer enclosures. The area enclosed by the moat was about 3/4 acre, but the N. side has been obliterated, mainly by an extension of the churchyard. The moat is dry and there is an entrance on the S. side. There are traces of a long rectangular enclosure on the E., and a narrow L-shaped enclosure on the S. (2)

Adjoining the churchyard is the site of the manor-house, of which the GIBB'S were lessees for many generations. Not long after 1644 the house was taken down and the materials sold. An indenture dated 1680 describes a building called the Porters Lodge to be still standing on the N. side of the ruined mansion house, and a great court in front of the house "leading from the Porters Lodge to the N. door". (2-3)

The site lies on low-lying ground and is grass covered. There is no trace of stonework or of a castle mound nor is there an obvious building platform within the area of the moat. The Porter's Lodge could not be located. The moat itself is a pronounced feature with traces of an inner and an outer bank in the East. The Northern portion of the moat could not be traced. North of the siting symbol the ground is considerably disturbed. The remainder of the earthworks form no precise pattern but are comparable to the usual form of Md Manorial earthworks. (4)

The moat and the extension running southwards from the S.W. corner average 1.3 m. deep. Other minor banks and scarps in the vicinity average 0.8m high. The earthworks generally are asdescribed in 4, but traces of inner and outer-banks to the moat are poorly defined. Surveyed at 1/2500. (5)

Mohun Castle, a moated structure 200 feet by 180 feet. This was probably the original centre of the village. There appears to be slight shrunken village remains in the valley to the West, and broad ring to the South. (6)

Listed as a possible castle by Cathcart King. (7)

<1> John Gutch, 1781, Collectanea Curiosa, 436 (Monograph). SDO17897.

<2> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 164-8 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 2003, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 2002, 126 (Serial). SDO11600.

'SOUTH PERROTT, MOHUN HOUSE
In March 2002 Niall Oakey carried out a small archaeological evaluation within the footprint of a proposed extension to Mohun House, Church Hill, South Perrott, Dorset (NGR: ST 47185 06692) on behalf of Mr A de la Poer. The site lies immediately north of extant earthworks associated with Mohun Castle, which was demolished in the middle of the 17th century. Excavation of a small trench measuring 1 x 2m revealed an undated bank of loose irregular limestone rubble running north/south. To the west of the bank the natural limestone had been cut into, presumably for quarrying. This cut had been backfilled with material, which, on the basis of the ceramics, had been deposited in the later 18th century.' {2}

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1928/38 (Map). SWX1540.

[ST 4716 0643] CASTLE [GT] (site of)

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 177 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(2) Mohun Castle, earthworks immediately S. of the church, consisted of a moated enclosure with two or more outer enclosures. The area enclosed by the moat was about ¾ acre, but the N. side has been obliterated, mainly by an extension of the churchyard. The moat is dry and there is an entrance on the S. side. There are traces of a long rectangular enclosure on the E. and a narrow L-shaped enclosure on the S.'

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), Unpublished revision RCHM Dorset I: West. Undated (South Perratt file) (Monograph). SDO97.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), RCHM Dorset I West. Unpublished material (Monograph). SDO97.

<7> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 23-MAY-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<8> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 27-NOV-62 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<9> Cathcart-King, D J, 1983, Castellarium anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands, 129 (Monograph). SDO16340.

<10> Cole, M, 1996, Mohun Castle, South Perrot, Dorset. Report on Geophysical Survey (Unpublished document). SDO14286.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 192881 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 1:19PM