Aslockton Cranmers Mound

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameAslockton Cranmers Mound
Alternative Names
Historic CountryNottinghamshire
Modern AuthorityNottinghamshire
1974 AuthorityNottinghamshire
Civil ParishAslockton

A motte and bailey later converted to a homestead moat. Known as 'Cranmer's Mount' solely because Aslockton is Archbishop Cranmer's birthplace. (Allcroft, 1908)

16ft high Norman motte with two rectangular courts. The SE part of the motte has been mutilated by ballast digging. (VCH)

Medieval motte and bailey, later used as a prospect mound, with associated moated fishponds, a hollow way and ridge and furrow, surviving as earthworks. The Motte is 16ft high, but the south east part has been mutilated by ballast digging. (PastScape)

Watching brief carried out by NCC on land immediately adjacent to the castle site revealed traces of medieval features in plan with pottery on surface as well as post medieval garden or landscape features. (James Wright, 2010)

Gatehouse Comments

Birthplace of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1489, although by this time the motte was probably being used as a prospect mound. The location of the later house is uncertain. The moated platforms to the east of the mound, presumably the site of the original bailey, may represent the site of the house or may be moated gardens. An interesting site worthy of further study because of the possibility of illuminating the complex ways in which castle earthworks were later modified and adapted.

- 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 ReferenceSK744401
Latitude52.9537582397461
Longitude-0.894439995288849
Eastings474400
Northings340150
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
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Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Wright, James, 2008, Castles of Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire County Council) p. 43, 60-1
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 84
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 203 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 379
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 180
  • Allcroft, A. Hadrian, 1908, Earthwork of England (London) p. 405-6 online copy
  • Stevenson, W., 1906, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Nottinghamshire Vol. 1 p. 305-6 online copy

Journals

  • Speight, Sarah, 1994, 'Early Medieval Castles in Nottinghamshire' Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire Vol. 98 p. 66
  • Chalkley Gould, I., 1907, 'Some Nottinghamshire Strongholds' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. 13 p. 51-64 esp. 60-1 (plan) online copy
  • 1897, Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire Vol. 1 p. 24 online copy

Other

  • Wright, James, 2010 Dec 9, pers. corr.
  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 68, 92-3, 475-6 online copy