CHAPEL HILL

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DESCRIPTION

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Medieval motte surviving as an earthwork, with traces of probable former bailey. Chapel hill is a conical motte, 110 feet in diameter at the base, 45 feet across the summit and circa 20 feet high situated in Arkholme churchyard. There was no distinct traces of ditch around the mound although the sunken footpath to the north west probably represented part of its former course. A raised earthen platform covering about half an acre stood adjacent to the motte and may have acted as a bailey. A small excavation on the summit of the Motte in 1904 revealed two distinct phases, one below the turf and another 9 feet lower. The lower deposit may represent a possible ringwork phase. Further excavations in 1973-4 confirmed the presence of two phases and suggested the upper phase was incomplete. Medieval pottery and a Neolithic or Bronze Age scraper were also found. Scheduled.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(SD 58937184) Chapel Hill (NR) (1)

(SD 58937184) Motte (NR) (2)

Chapel Hill is a conical motte, 110ft diameter at base, 45ft across the summit and circa 20ft high situated in Arkholme churchyard. There was no distinct traces of ditch around the mound although the sunken footpath to the north west probably represented part of its former course. A raised earthen platform covering about 1/2 acre stood adjacent to the motte and may have acted as a bailey. Depressions on the north and west sides suggested former ditches but the ground within the churchyard has been greatly mutilated. Plan (4). A small excavation on the summit of the motte in 1904 revealed two distinct phases of construction; (A)-a cobbled surface immediately below the turf, and another (B) about 9ft lower. On the lower surface were a number of iron objects together with charred wood, coarse pottery fragments, and bones. Moorhouse in 1971 suggested that this lower surface possibly represented an original or earlier ring-work type phase as at Burton-in-Lonsdale (see SD 67 SW 10). He also tentatively assigned some of the surviving 1904 finds to the 13th or 14th century. Small-scale excavation of the mound by White in 1973-4 confirmed the 1904 suggestions of two periods, but no traces of structures were recovered. There was a strong possibility that the upper part of mound (the second phase of construction - 'A') was unfinished. Finds from the excavation were all unstratified and included 16th-19th century pottery, window glass and roof tiles, probably associated with the adjacent church. Two flints, one a broken Neolithic/Bronze Age scraper were also found.

The area of the bailey suggested by VCH was not examined but according to the present landowner, soil marks of a presumed infilled ditch could be seen south of the churchyard. To the north of the churchyard recent landscaping had removed most of the traces of bailey. Chapel Hill has no recorded history. (3-6)

The motte is in fair condition. Published survey (25") correct. A slight scarp at SD 58887185 may represent fragmentary remains of the bailey. Surveyed at 1:2500. (7)

SD 589718: Chapel Hill Motte, Arkholme - with - Cawoood, scheduled.
(8)

SD 5892 7183. Chapel Hill motte, Arkholme. Scheduled RSM No 13411.
(9)

Listed by Cathcart King. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1919

( 2) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:10000 1976

( 3) Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society

5 - 1905 Page(s)309

( 4) edited by William Farrer and J Brownbill, M.A. 1908 The Victoria history of the county of Lancaster, volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England 1908 Page(s)521

( 5) The Yorkshire archaeological journal

(S Moorhouse) 43 - 1971 Page(s)85,89-90,98

( 6) Lancaster Archaeological and Historical Society Contrebis : bulletin of archaeology and local history for Lancashire and the north west

(A J White) 3 NO 1 1975 Page(s)25-9

( 7) Field Investigators Comments

F1 BHP 28-OCT-69

( 8) Scheduled Monument Notification

DOE (IAM) AM's Eng Rec Note 1982

(9) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Page(s)8

(10) 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 - 1983 Page(s)244

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