Lasborough Motte

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameLasborough Motte
Alternative Names
Historic CountryGloucestershire
Modern AuthorityGloucestershire
1974 AuthorityGloucestershire
Civil ParishWestonbirt with Lasborough

Despite some disturbance to the central part of the mound through quarrying, the motte 200m south east of Lasborough survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. This is one of two motte castles within 1km of each other, situated either side of Hoy Bottom.

The monument includes a motte castle situated on gently sloping ground with good views over the surrounding area, 200m south east of Lasborough, in an area of the Cotswold Hills. The motte, which has a mound composed of small stones, has a maximum diameter of 45m and a maximum height of c.2m. The mound has a flat top and now contains a large central cavity or quarry with an open face on the north eastern side of the mound. The quarry has internal dimensions of 15m by 20m and although 2m deep, it has not disturbed the original ground level below the mound. There has been some reduction of the mound by ploughing and it extends as a lower earthwork for 16m to the west and 6m to the east, of the highest part of the mound. The mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become infilled over the years, but survives as a buried feature c.5m wide. There is no sign of an associated bailey or enclosure. (Scheduling Report)

Apparently a very large round barrow (OS map record 1920). It is 48 paces in diameter by 6 ft in height, has no visible surrounding ditch, and 'looks more like a castle mound than a barrow'. There is a very large cavity in the centre, which continues into a gap on the east side (O'Neil and Grinsell).

ST 82399411 A mound of earth and stone, probably originally 40m in diameter, although now it has been ploughed down on the W. A deep depression in the E is probably the result of stone robbing. The mound is 2.5m high and situated in a prominent position

There is no evidence of an external ditch, although this may be covered by extensive ploughing slip. The feature has more the appearance of a motte than of a round barrow (F1 MHB 29-AUG-72).

The probable medieval motte referred to above is visible on aerial photographs and has been mapped as part of The Cotswold Hills NMP survey. The motte is as described above. A possible ditched enclosure (Monument Number 926366) located to the north appears to be associated with the motte (APs). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Earthwork remains of a mound originally 40m in diameter. It has been ploughed down on the west. The mound is 2.5m high and situated in a prominent position. There is no evidence for an external ditch, although this may be covered by extensive ploughing slip. The location, isolated from the village, on the eyeline of a ridge top is more that of a barrow than a motte, although something about the mound has suggested to experience field archaeologists that this is a motte not a barrow. However, the mound has been damaged by 'treasure' hunting and ploughing. There is definitely no bailey. The English place-name society appears to suggest the former parish and manor took its name from this fortification which, in turn, suggests this was a pre-Conquest site (although it may have been modified post-Conquest). There is a clear medieval manor beside the church and no reason to suspect this was not always the site of the manor house. What feature of this mound 'has more the appearence of a motte than a round barrow'? Not a bailey, not an external ditch, not location. Because of scheduling report record as 'probable' in the Gatehouse gazetteer although there is doubt about this site.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceST823941
Latitude51.6455688476563
Longitude-2.25587010383606
Eastings382390
Northings194110
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Gloucestershire and Bristol (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 22
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 182
  • Herbert, N.M.,1976, VCH Gloucestershire Vol. 11 p. 284, 285- online transcription
  • Smith, A.H., 1964, The Place-Names of Gloucestershire, Part 1_ nglish Place-Name Society 38) p. 114

Journals

  • Rawes, B., 1977, 'A Check List of Castles and other Fortified Sites of Medieval Date in Gloucestershire' Glevensis Vol. 11 p. 39-41 online copy
  • O'Neil, H. and Grinsell, L.V., 1960, 'Gloucestershire Barrows, Lists: Round Barrows, Gloucestershire' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol. 79 Part 1 p. 136 ("looks more like a castle mound than a barrow") online copy