Kempsey Village Banks

Has been described as a Questionable Urban Defence

There are earthwork remains

NameKempsey Village Banks
Alternative Names
Historic CountryWorcestershire
Modern AuthorityWorcestershire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishKempsey

King writes village is embanked. Creighton and Higham write 'Kemsey is a rare example of an enclosed medieval village without a castle.' They given no specific reference and presumably they are quoting King.

W of village, enclosing Church etc. Stands on natural terrace of gravel on E bank of R Severn - terrace some 10-14' above flood plain during floods, waters reach base of terrace & surrounds. Earthwork on all sides except N. Only here that artificial bank constructed & ditch dug across terrace, rest of earthwork being formed by scarping of natural banks of terrace. There is a slight bank on S side of churchyard..... this bank extends beyond the (churchyard) and returns Northwards for small distance outside W boundary of churchyard.... (O'Neill 1956)

Is only example which can be fairly assigned to division (promontory class A). Rampart which guarded neck from NE was in good preservation until 1836 (Allies). Now only central part remains to height of 6-8', but position of remainder may be inferred. Other sides of the promontory were apparently well enough defended by scarps rising from marshy ground. Area enclosed is 11 acres (VCH). (Worcestershire and Worcester City HER as Iron Age fort)

Gatehouse Comments

There does seem to have been an enclosure around all, or part, of Kempsey but this may well have been a much earlier feature and the possibility of it having a defensive function in the medieval period seems remote. However the embankment may have been retained and maintained as a flood defence on the west side, where it seems best preserved. It may also be it was only ever a flood defence earthwotk and that other interpretations of the earthworks have made fanfiful extensions to produce a 'circuit' that did not actually exist. With regard to Kemsey being without a castle it did have a bishops palace a building of equal status and similar function.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO848491
Latitude52.138858795166
Longitude-2.22474002838135
Eastings384800
Northings249100
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Books

  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 267
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 509
  • Montgomerie, 1924, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm and Willis-Bund, J.W. (eds), VCH Worcestershire Vol. 4 p. 421-2
  • Page, Wm (ed), 1913 VCH Worcestershire Vol. 3 p. 430 online transcription
  • Doubleday, H.A., 1901, VCH Worcestershire Vol. 1 p. 210-11 online copy
  • Allies, J., 1852, The Ancient British, Roman and Saxon Antiquities and Folklore of Worcestershire (London: J.H. Parker) p. 56 (as Roman camp) online copy

Journals

  • O'Neil, H.E., 1956, 'Court House Excavations : Kempsey, January 1956' Transactions of the Worcester Archaeological Society Vol. 33 (new ser) p. 33-