Monument record MDO5493 - Motte and bailey castle, Castle Hill, Cranborne

A motte and bailey castle consisting of a circular motte with a crescent-shaped bailey on its western and north-western sides. The castle is likely to have been constructed in the late eleventh century or early twelfth century, in the years following the Norman Conquest in 1066. The site is visible under trees on aerial photographs taken in 1945-6; it was digitally recorded during the Dorset Stour NMP.

The tumulus on the summit of the great mound is modern and was raised in the early 19th century by L D G Tregonwell over the remains of two favourite horses. <2>

Listed by Cathcart King. <7>

A motte and bailey castle consisting of a circular motte with a crescent-shaped bailey on its western and north-western sides. The castle is likely to have been constructed in the late eleventh century or early twelfth century, in the years following the Norman Conquest in 1066. The site is visible under trees on aerial photographs taken in 1945-6 <3-4>; it was digitally recorded during the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Warne, C, 1872, Ancient Dorset (2nd Edition), 255 (Monograph). SWX1971.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1881, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 134-136 (Serial). SDO3.

<3> Royal Air Force, 20-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA187 RP 3090-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15464.

<4> Royal Air Force, 27-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2308 FS 4114-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15463.

<5> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SU 05931266) Castle Hill (NAT) Motte and Bailey (NR)

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 15 (Monograph). SDO129.

'(31) MOTTE AND BAILEY (059126), nearly ½ mile S.E. of (1), stands on a prominent rise called Castle Hill, at the N.W. end of a broad ridge. Nothing is known of its history. The earthworks cover some 2½ acres and comprise a circular motte, 180 ft. in diameter and 28 ft. high, surrounded by a small ditch with an outer bank on the W. and N.W. A crescent-shaped bailey on the E. is bounded by a rampart up to 25 ft. high, with an outer ditch. A causeway across the ditch, and what appears to be an entrance through the rampart, are at the S. end of the bailey.'

<7> Cathcart-King, D J, 1983, Castellarium anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands, 127 (Monograph). SDO16340.

<8> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/091 RCHME Inventory: Dorset V (East) (Unpublished document). SDO18032.

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 884586 RCHME: Cranborne Castle Hill, Dorset (Index). SDO14738.

Note states "reduce this to half & put under 1:1250 plan"

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213663 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 16 2022 4:35PM