MONUMENT NO. 67801

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Castle Pulverbatch was held by Roger Venator in 1086, and was still in existence in 1202, though perhaps derelict by that time. The motte rises some 7.4 metres above a steep natural slope on its south-east side. A ditch 2.6 metres deep defends it on the north east and west sides. To the north east of the motte is the inner bailey, partly destroyed by quarrying on the east side. This bailey is defended by a bank which rises some 1.5 metres above the interior and 4.2 metres above the outer bailey and is surrounded by a ditch 1.2 metres deep. To the west of the motte is an outer bailey, defended by a bank up to 1.2 metres high on the west and a scarp up to 2.2 metres high on the south. The motte, along with the inner and outer baileys, are visible as earthwork on aerial photographs. Scheduled.

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(SJ 42250217) Castle (NR) (Site of). (1)

Castle Pulverbatch was held by Roger Venator in 1086, and was still in existence in 1202, though perhaps derelict by that time. The motte rises 28ft above its ditch, with an inner bailey to the NE defended by a 5ft high bank with outer ditch. The outer bailey added on the west side retains its ditch and a rampart 5ft high, except where obliterated on the north. There is a tradition of stone-work having formerly existed on the site. (2-4)

The motte, constructed on a natural knoll, at SJ 42250217, rises some 7.4m above a steep natural slope on its south-east side. A ditch 2.6m deep defends it on the north-east and west sides. There is no evidence of stonework on the top of the motte which has been dug into on the south side.

To the north-east of the motte is the inner bailey apparently square or rectangular in shape but the east side has been destroyed by quarrying. This bailey which is defended by a bank which rises some 1.5m above the interior and 4.2m above the outer bailey is surrounded by a ditch 1.2m deep.
To the west of the motte is an outer bailey triangular in shape, defended by a bank up to 1.2m high on the west and a scarp up to 2.2m high on the south. (5)

The outline of two rectangular buildings can be discerned as crop marks in the N angle of the inner bailey in dry weather.
Also in the inner bailey, the large pit at SJ 42260220 compares in size and position with that at Bishops Moat Bishop's Castle (SO 38 NW 1), which was excavated and shown to be the castle cess-pit.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (6)

SJ 422021 Motte and bailey at Castle Pulverbatch. Scheduled. (7-8)

Listed by Cathcart King. (9)

The motte, along with the inner and outer baileys, are visible as earthwork on aerial photographs and have been mapped by RCHME's Marches Uplands Mapping Project. (10-11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

Ordnance Survey 6" map sheet 1954.

( 2) Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society

48, 1934-6 Page(s)XIV

( 3) D F Renn 1968 Norman Castles in Britain

(D F Renn). 1968 Page(s)288

( 4) The Victoria history of the counties of England

(Wall & Downman). 1, 1908 Page(s)392-3

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

First OS Archaeology Field Investigator DRB 27-MAY-71

( 6a) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

Second OS Archaeology Field Investigator FKB 02-JUL-71

( 7) English Heritage 1987 County list of Scheduled Ancient Monuments : December 1987

English Heritage SAMs Salop 31 Dec 1987 12

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

English Heritage SAM List Salop March 1994 12

(9) 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

2 Page(s)423

(10) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

RAF 58/6757 0051-2 12-MAY-1965

(11) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

NMR SJ 4202/1

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