CASTLE HILL

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DESCRIPTION

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Remains of a Motte and Bailey in a good state of preservation. The mound is 370 feet in circumference and the ditch 5 feet deep. The truncated top of the mound is flat and measures 27 feet east to west and 30 feet from north to south. The bailey is surrounded by a bank and ditch. The bank is 8 feet high and 15 feet wide, the ditch is 20 feet wide and 6 feet below the exterior level. Scheduled.

These features are visible as earthwork on air photographs.

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[SK.51628821] Castle Hill [O.E.]. (1)

Defensive earthworks [Motte and Bailey], known locally as "the Castle Hill and the Hall Yard" at Laughton-en-le-Morthen.

"The mound, measured in the bottom of the surrounding ditch, is 370 feet in circumference", and the ditch itself is 5 feet deep. "The truncated top of the mound is flat and measures 27 feet from east to west and 30 feet from north to south". The bailey is surrounded by a bank and ditch, the latter being of the same size as that surrounding the motte. There is no trace of an entrance or entrance causeway, but a gap on the east side is rather bigger than other gaps in the surrounding banks. "There are slight indications of earthworks on the north side of the area. No indication of the former existence of walls was apparent".

According to Domesday Book, Edwin, Earl of Mercia, had a hall at Laughton, before the conquest. (2)

Motte and Bailey at Laugthon-en-la-Morthen "These earthworks are in excellent preservation. The height of the motte is 30 feet,.... the width of the ditch 30ft. the area of the bailey half an acre. The bank on the counterscarp is wanting, and there is no sign of an entrance. The work is placed at the north-west corner of a plateau, and the ground falls quickly on the north and west sides, but on the other sides it is level.... .....Laughton was a demesne manor of Roger de Busli at Domesday". (3)

Brief description and plan of motte and bailey. It is stated that "there are signs of the previous existence of ramparts to a second or outher court, within which probably stood ...huts .... and the church". (4)

Description of motte and bailey largely as in authority 3. (5)

Motte and bailey, Laughton-en-le-Morthen. The bank of the bailey is 8ft high and 15 ft broad, the ditch is about 20 ft broad and 6ft below the exterior level. "The bank is cut through and the ditch traversed by a narrow causeway towards the east-north-east, no doubt representing the original entrance, which probably was over a timber bridge". [Full description of site is given]. (6)

Thurcroft, Castle Hill, Laughton-en-le-Morthen, scheduled under `castles'. (7)

Motte and bailey earthwork upon private land. In good condition.
Topographical position as by Authority 3. Physical description by Authorities above generally correct. No traces of an outer bailey seen. 25" A.M. - feature not correctly shown. Survey carried out. Original entrance most probably at north-east corner of bailey. Most of outer ditch is now missing along the east side. `Castle Hill' confirmed. `Hall Yard' not known or used. (8)

Condition unchanged. (9)

Additional references. (10-11)

A medieval motte and bailey is visible as earthworks on air photographs, centred at SK 5162 8821.
The bailey appears to have a ditch with an incompletely visible circuit and banks flanking the north and south sides.
These features are described by previous authorities.
(12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1928/48

( 2) Hunter Archaeological Society transactions

(S O Addy) 1 - 1914-18 Page(s)357-9

( 3) edited by William Page 1912 The Victoria history of the county of York, volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England 1912 Page(s)32-3

( 4) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

(I C Gould) 10 - 1904 Page(s)36-8

( 5) by John L Illingworth 1970 Yorkshire's ruined castles : an account of their history, asssociations and architecture with a chapter on the fortified houses of the county

Page(s)128

( 6) Edited by William Smith 1881 Old Yorkshire

2nd Series 1885. Page(s)6-8

( 7) Scheduled Monument Notification

Ancient Monuments England & Wales 1958 (MOW) p93

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 25-SEP-59

( 9) Field Investigators Comments

F2 JRF 06-JAN-65

(11) Royal Archaeological Institute The archaeological journal

137 - 1980 Page(s)429-30

(10) by Geo T Clark 1884 Medieval military architecture in England. Volume 1

Page(s)24

(12) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR OS/69105 19 09-Apr-1969

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