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THE ROOKERY

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Earthwork of a possible motte and bailey site known as The Rookery. It is unclear if it is in fact a medieval motte and bailey site, but the earthwork traces of the western part of the possible motte were seen on Environment Agency lidar images. The site is overgrown so could not be discerned from aerial photographs. In the field to the south and west of the earthwork mound traces of parallel ditches and banks were also seen as earthworks on the lidar images. These could be associated with a former settlement, possibly medieval in date. These earthworks were mapped from Environment Agency lidar images as part of the English Heritage: South Downs Project.

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(TQ52810397) The Rookery (TI) Motte & Bailey (NR). (1)

"Typical motte and twin baileys" occupying 1 1/2 acres. Pitt-Rivers shows it to be Norman, earlier than "Burlough Castle" (TQ 50 SW 21) (2).

Crawford (3), Allcroft (4) and Evans (5) record similar information, and Evans refers to two baileys with "bridge ends and protective returns."

Braun suggests that the ditch between the motte and baileys was a modern drainage ditch, and is concerned that the mound is a long oval and not circular (6).

Musson, summarising previous authorities, concludes that it is a motte and baileys. In 1952 he cut, under difficult conditions, one trench across the top of the motte and another across the ditch between the motte and baileys. This latter trench proved that the ditch was not a drain as its base is well below normal water level. (Musson does not report finding anything in trenching the mound summit). The shape of the motte is due to it being a natural outlying spur of the hill to the NE. Documents dated 1371 (a) and 1567 (b) refer to "the manor lordship and Castell of Middleton alias Milton.
(See TQ 50 SW 23). (7)

The name "the Rookery" refers to an area of trees and bushes, bounded on the N and part of the E side by an oxbow of the Cuckmere, and on the SW and the remainder of the E side a ditch, now silted up and marshy. Within the enclosed area is an elongated mound, c 60.0m by c 30.0m and c 4.0m high, and two rectangular platforms, measuring respectively c 30.0m by c 10.0m and c 32.0m by c 16.0m, each separatedone from the other by ditches now silted up.

The mound and platforms described have been classified by Musson, Burwen et al as a certain motte with twin baileys, yet ground inspection, and re-examination of sources available locally, cast doubt on this classification for the following reasons:

(i) The mound being elongated oval on plan, does not resemble a motte.

(ii) No artificial features are apparent on the mound, and without the ditch-like features to the S, it is merely a natural mound.

(iii) The ditches enclose rectangular areas more akin to a homestead moat than a motte and bailey.

(iv) There is no trace of defensive ramparts associated with the ditches. (The bank shown on the E side is for retaining purposes).

(v) The "baileys" are exceptionally small.

(vi) The whole complex does not give an impression of having been a strong defensive feature.

(vii) The ditches have sharp profiles, probably due to recutting.

On present physical evidence the feature cannot be accepted as a motte and bailey without reservations.
Published survey (25") revised. (8)

The earthwork traces of the western part of the possible motte described by the previous authorities were mapped from Environment Agency lidar images. The site is overgrown so could not be discerned from aerial photographs. In the field to the south and west of the earthwork mound (centred at TQ 5270 0390)traces of parallel ditches and banks were also seen as earthworks on the lidar images. These could be associated with a former settlement, possibly medieval in date. To the east of the possible motte, on the eastern side of the present road, the slight earthwork remains of an elogated mound (30m x 80m) was seen at TQ 5290 0392 which could be related to the site of the supposed motte and bailey. These earthworks were mapped from Environment Agency lidar images as part of the English Heritage: South Downs Project. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" Prov 1961.

( 2) Annotated Record Map

Corr 6" (E Curwen 1949).

( 3a) Sussex Archaeological Society Sussex notes and queries

5, 1934 Page(s)80-2

( 3) General reference

Rec 6" (O G S Crawford)

( 4) General reference

Downland Pathways 1922, 73 (A H Allcroft).

( 5) General reference

Saunters in Sussex, 1935, 32 (Evans)

( 6) Sussex Archaeological Society Sussex notes and queries

H Braun 6, 1935

( 7b) General reference

Milton Court Rolls Public Records Office.

( 7c) General reference

Sussex Record Series 46, Chichester Cart. No 331, 88-9.

( 7) Sussex Archaeological Society Sussex notes and queries

R Musson 14, 1954-7 Page(s)19-22

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F1 NKB 07-AUG-72

(9) Light detection and ranging (lidar) airborne survey

Environment Agency Lidar D0052789 TQ5203NE 29-JAN-2006

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