CLAVERING CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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Possibly Robert's Castle mentioned 1052 AD; defensive moat.

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(TL 47073191) Castle (site of) (NR) (1)

Clavering Castle consists of an oblong mound 300ft x 185ft raised some 16 or 17ft above its surrounding moat (2). On the north side there is a strong counterscarp bank to the moat. Further earthworks towards the east are the suggested remains of a water mill. The moat, now partly waterfilled, is about 18ft deep and 75ft wide and has the eastern arm partly filled in. Plan (3). VCH quoting Morant speaks of castle walls 'not long since in being' but no masonry is visible and none has been excavated (2), although RCHM considers that irregularity of the surface may represent foundations (3). The historian J.H Round, identified Clavering Castle with 'Robert's Castle', to which, according to the Saxon Chronicle, certain Normans fled in AD 1052, suggesting a pre-Norman date for this work (2). (2,3)

Clavering Castle (name confirmed) a defensive moat with later earthworks of a water mill (Authy 3). The main defensive work comprises a strong rectangular enclosure 150.0m E-W by 100.0m N-S with part waterfilled arms about 26.0m wide by 5.0m deep.
The interior of the enclosure is at the same level as the surrounding ground level, and contains building robber trenches, though these have been disturbed by later digging. No evidence of walling as mentioned by Morant survives today. An original entrance crosses the SE angle but this has been disturbed by a later trackway. Associated with the northern retaining bank of the enclosure ditch is a series of earthern banks, channels and two pond bays associated with a former watermill. Identification and dating of these works is uncertain. Published survey (25") revised. (4)

TL 471320. Clavering Castle. Scheduled No.12. (5)

Listed by Cathcart King. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1960

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1916 An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Volume I [north west]

Page(s)291-3,345

( 2a) General reference

Hist and Ants of Essex 1768 (P Morant)

( 3) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1916 An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Volume I [north west]

Page(s)70

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 PAS 26-FEB-1975

( 5) Scheduled Monument Notification

Eng Hertage SAMs Essex 1987, 18

(6) 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

Page(s)143

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