Monument record MDO4615 - Shaftesbury Castle, Castle Hill, Shaftesbury

A triangular enclosure at the western end of the Greensand Ridge upon which the burh of Shaftesbury was built. The site was excavated between 1947 and 1949. It is thought to represent the site of an unlicensed castle constructed during the reign of King Stephen.

A probable Norman fortified farmhouse and the site of an Adulterine Castle. The earthwork is surrounded by steep natural slopes on all but its eastern side where a ditch up to 18 metres wide and with an average depth of 2 metres has been cut to complete the all round defence. The inner bank in this quarter varies between 13 metres and 17 metres wide and has an average height of 1 metre. There is a pit in the centre. Excavations in 1947-9 discovered three tripod pitchers dating from the 12 to 13th centuries.

There seems to have been a castle on Castle Green, a little west of St. Mary's. The site is also called Boltbury and is the traditional site of the old town (a). Castle Hill is a small steep promontory at the west end of the hill on which Shaftesbury stands. A deep artificial ditch has transformed the promontory into a triangular enclosure. There is an inner bank along all three sides. The interior is level, except for a large pit, dug much later than the rest of the earthworks. It has sometimes been suggested that the pit was caused by the removal of a free-standing tower. There is no sign of a motte and no documentary evidence of a properly constituted castle. The enclosure was trenched by E.Jervoise, 1947-9, and the following finds made, now in Shaftesbury Museum:

The remains of three tripod pitchers of 12th-13th c. and a halfpenny of Stephen; the latter came from a trench dug in the bottom of the pit - Cobbler's Pit. From the finds the site would seem early Md., possibly 12th c. There was no evidence to show EIA or Civil War construction.

Listed as a moated mound with probable shell keep. <1-2> <4-5>

The earthwork is surrounded by steep natural slopes on all but its eastern side where a ditch up to 18.0m. Wide and with an average depth of 2.0m. Has been cut to complete the all round defence. The inner bank in this quarter varies between 13.0 and 17.0m. Wide and has an average height of 1.0m. Elsewhere it is considerably weaker and fades to nothing in parts. The earthwork is otherwise as described by Authy 3. The pit referred to is steep sided and is up to 3.0m deep. There is no visible indication of a motte, entrance or stonework. The position and nature of the fortification, the dateable material found and lack of documentary evidence suggest that this was an adulterine castle. It is under grass. <6>

This is the site of a fortified Norman farm-house with three walls and two angle towers. It has been excavated and is now a garden. A small motte and bailey existed to the east. <7>

Published survey (OS 25", 1901) revised. <8>

ST 856228. A ditch and platform which represent the remains of a former castle, plausibly a temporary fortification dating from the 12th century Civil war.
The site is overgrown and disturbed by former excavations and near the middle is a rectangular pond about 10ft deep. A crescent-shaped ditch up to 65ft. Wide and 15ft deep separates the spur from the higher ground on the east. Earthworks within the area include a low bank on the south west a roughly rectangular mound about 1 1/2ft. High on the east and some roughly rectangular platforms of varying size; the triangular area is artificially scarped above the natural slopes of the spur. <10>

Listed as small ringwork by Cathcart King & Alcock <9> and as possible Norman Castle by Renn <11>.

Listed by Cathcart King as a ringwork. <12>

National Record of the Historic Environment, 206412 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

National Record of the Historic Environment, 206483 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Coker J, 1732, Survey of Dorset 1732, 91, 92 (Cartographic materials). SWX3374.

<2> Shipp, W (ed), 1868, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 3, 40 (Monograph). SWX3207.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1927-38 (Map). SWX1540.

[ST 85662284] CASTLE [GT] (Site of)

<4> Best, W Stuart, 1949, Some Notes on the Early British Church. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 70, 65-73 (Article in serial). SDO20363.

<5> Rigold, S E, Excavations by the Shaftesbury Historical Society at Castle Hill, Shaftesbury, 1947-49. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 71, 54-57 (Article in serial). SDO20364.

<6> Edwards, D W, Field Investigator's Comments DE, F1 DE 30-JAN-56 (Unpublished document). SDO18341.

<7> Teulon Porter, Noel, Annotated record map 1 to 6 inch scale in Shaftesbury Museum (Gold Hill), 18.2.60 (Map). SDO18343.

(ST 85742283) A small motte and bailey

<8> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 22-MAY-62 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<9> Taylor, A J (ed), 1969, Chateau Gaillard 3: Conference at Battle, Sussex, 19-24 September 1966, 113 (Monograph). SDO18796.

<10> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 75-76 (Monograph). SDO99.

‘(138) DITCH AND PLATFORM (856228), remains of a former castle on the N.W. extremity of the Greensand promontory, occupy a small triangular spur a little below the 700 ft. contour. To the E. the ground rises to the plateau of the presumed borough; elsewhere it drops precipitously (plan, p. 75).
In 1947–9 the site was systematically examined by trenching (Dorset Procs., 71 (1949), 54–7). Fragments of three tripod pitchers of the 12th or 13th century, a small bronze chain, and a 'cut' halfpenny of Stephen's reign were found; a paved floor of the early 18th century came to light, but no trace of any other structure. The slender evidence available suggests that the castle was a temporary fortification dating from the period of the 12th-century civil war.
The site is overgrown and disturbed by former excavations; several old trenches still lie open; near the middle is a rectangular pond (P) about 10 ft. deep. A crescent-shaped ditch up to 65 ft. wide and 15 ft. deep separates the spur from the higher ground on the E. Earthworks within the area include a low bank on the S.W., a roughly rectangular mound about 1½ ft. high on the E., and some roughly rectangular platforms of varying size; the triangular area is artificially scarped above the natural slopes of the spur.’

<11> Renn, D, 1973, Norman castles in Britain, 308 (Monograph). SWX2036.

<12> Cathcart-King, D J, 1983, Castellarium anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands, 128 (Monograph). SDO16340.

<13> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/097 RCHME Inventory: Dorset IV (North) (Unpublished document). SDO17498.

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 883929 (Index). SDO14738.

Shaftesbury Castle/survey. Preliminary sketch of earthwork remains of former castle.Bibliographic References : 1) Monument No.138. Figure displayed on page 75.

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 884009 (Index). SDO14738.

Shaftesbury Castle/survey. Details of earthwork remains and contours in feet.Bibliographic References : 1) Monument No.138. Plan of site replicatred on page. 75.

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB69/01705 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF EARTHWORK REMAINS OF CASTLE - PROBABLY A TEMPORARY C12 FORTIFICATION

Record last edited

Dec 15 2023 9:11AM