NEWNHAM CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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A Norman ringwork castle earthwork with a maximum length of 190 feet, and traces of a bank on the north west and south sides. The castle was presumably in existence by 1086 and was referred to as the 'old castle' in the 12th century and similarly in circa 1240 and 1418. The site was excavated in the 19th century but never published.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(SO 68951151) Ancient Earthwork (NAT) (1)

The medieval earthwork at Newnham is a castle-ring rather than a motte (2). The enclosure has a maximum length of 190 feet, and traces of the bank survive on the NW and S sides. The bank on the east has probably been thrown down to fill its own ditch, and on the westward side the earthworks have been superseded by a raised walk of modern date. The most favourable position for a bailey, if such ever existed, would be to the east on the site occupied by the church since c 1380 (2).

Excavations during the latter part of the 19th century of which nothing more is known resulted in the owner of an djoining property changing its name to "Castle House", and more recently there has been evidence of possible masonry beneath the turf of the Round Green" (3).

The old castle at Newnham has been identified by Miss Woods with "the old castle of Dene", but this was more probably at Welshbury (SO 61 NE7). (2-3)

A small roughly oval ring-motte (ringwork). It is situated near the edge of a spur overlooking a bend of the River Severn. There are no obvious Civil War earthworks in the vicinity.
Published (1:2500) survey revised. (4)

Newnham Castle, allegedly the first castle built beyond the Severn against the Welsh, was presumably in existence by 1086. It was referred to as the "old castle" in the 12th century, and similarly in c 1240 and 1418. Land in Newnham was described in the early 13th century, as being by the chapel of the old castle. There is therefore no good reason for doubting that the three-sided earthwork with ramparts and a ditch on the high ground at the south end of the town was, as it appears to be, a Norman castle rather than part of the defences thrown up in 1643. It was presumably the hollow green recorded in 1594. (5)

Earthwork (NR) (6)

A brief summary of the castle's history is included in a review of
the development of Medieval Newnham. (7)

Listed by Cathcart King. (8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1955

( 2a) General reference

Hist Notes of Flaxley Abbey 1887 136 (Crawley-Boevey)

( 2b) General reference

Newnham: A Retrospect 1912 31-6 (Mabel K Woods)

( 2) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 3c) General reference

History of St Peters Gloucester 1865 (Rolls Seriesedit W H Hart)

( 3d) General reference

Cal Records of the Corp of Gloucester 179 (W H Stephens

( 3) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ANK 28-MAY-70

( 5) edited by C.R. Elrington and N.M. Herbert 1972 A history of the county of Gloucester, volume 10

The Victoria history of the counties of England (C R Elrington) 1972 Page(s)30

( 6) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:10 000 1978

( 8) by Roger Leech 1981 Historic towns in Gloucestershire : archaeology and planning

Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset surveysNo 1 (1975) - no 6 (1983) (R Leech) NO.3 - 1981 Page(s)64

( 8) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

1 Page(s)182

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