THE MOUNT

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DESCRIPTION

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Probable Medieval ringwork, possibly containing a motte, mentioned in 13th century documents. A surrounding ditch remains up to 5m deep but modern housing has encroached on part of the site. On a map of 1726 the ditch is shown as filled with water and the area is called Castle Mound. Between 1154 and 1204 it was in the stewardship of Malquencu (sub Warrenne). Scheduled.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(SP 74084697) Castle (LB) (Site of). (1)

At Alderton there is a rough three sided enclosure known locally as the Mount. The entrenchments consist of one ditch on the N and SE sides with the ballast thrown inwards to form one rampart. It must be classed as a motte-type castle. (2)

The castle, mentioned in documents in the 13th c, stood at the N end of Alderton. It is now called the Mount, and occupies about two acres. It is encompassed with a deep ditch. (3)

An exceptionally strong ring castle situated in a commanding position. The work is tree covered and well preserved apart from the south-west flanking ditch which has, in part, been obliterated by modern development. Published survey (25") revised. (4)

Ringwork at Alderton. Class A defences. (5)

Motte or Ringwork (SP 740469) usually known as The Mount, stands on high ground on th NE side of Alderton village, on Great Oolite Limestone at 100 m. above OD. It consists of a roughly triangular area raised only about 1 m. above the adjacent land, but surrounded by a very large ditch up to 5 m. deep below a well-marked inner rampart or bank which itself is 1 m. - 1.5 m. above the interior. The ditch has been largely destroyed on the SW side and modern houses now occupy its line. However even in the early years of this century no ditch was visible here.

Bridges, writing in about 1720, said the 'the entrance...seems to have been on the western side'. Presumably he was referring to the gap in the inner rampart in the centre of the SW side, but this gap does not appear now to be an entrance. The interior is uneven and very overgrown and no features are visible apart from a sloping platform 0.5 m. high on the SE side. On a map of 1726 the ditch is shown as filled with water and the area is called Castle Mound. (6)

Listed by Cartcart King. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1958.

(2) The Victoria history of the counties of England

Northamptonshire (E A Downman). With small map. 2 1903 Page(s)403

( 3) General reference

Northamptonshire (G Baker). 2 1841 Page(s)120

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 FDC 28-AUG-1970

( 5) edited by A J Taylor 1969 Chateau Gaillard, 3. Conference at Battle, Sussex, 19-24 September 1966

No.125 1969 Page(s)118

( 6) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England 1982 An inventory of the historical monuments in the County of the Northampton. Volume IV: archaeological sites in south-west Northamptonshire

(Monument 5) 1982 Page(s)62

(7) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

Page(s)315

(6a) General reference

History & Antiquities of Northamptonshire (J Bridges) 1 1791 Page(s)280

( 6b) Externally held archive reference

Northants Record Office map including Alderton 1726

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