Oversley Village Defences

Has been described as a Possible Urban Defence

There are earthwork remains

NameOversley Village Defences
Alternative Names
Historic CountryWarwickshire
Modern AuthorityWarwickshire
1974 AuthorityWarwickshire
Civil ParishAlcester

There are two baileys to the east of the motte, and adjacent to these on the east is a large, defensive enclosure. Excavations have shown this to be contemporary with the castle, 12th and 13th century, and probably a defended settlement. (PastScape–ref. Jones et al)

Gatehouse Comments

Excavations in 1992 and 1993 revealed the existence of an attached ditched enclosure possibly a village defence and/or outer bailey of Boteler's Castle. These are recorded within the records for Boteler's castle by PastScape and the Warwickshire HER. The area has been heavily ploughed so the original form of the village earthworks is somewhat obscure, quite how defensive these really were may be open to question.

- 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 ReferenceSP083558
Latitude52.2003784179688
Longitude-1.87704002857208
Eastings408300
Northings255800
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 79, 82, 84, 158, 266

Journals

  • Creighton, O.H., 2004, ''The Rich Man in his Castle, The Poor Man at His Gate': Castle Baileys and Settlement Patterns in Norman England' Cha^teau Gaillard Vol. 21 p. 25-36
  • Jones, C., Eyre-Morgan, G., Palmer, S. and Palmer, N., 1997, 'Excavations in the outer enclosure of Boteler's Castle, Oversley, Alcester, 1992-3' Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society Vol. 101 p. 1-98

Other

  • Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2016 (London: Historic England) p. 48 online copy
  • Historic England, 2015, Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2015 (London: Historic England) p. 49 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 48 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 47 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 58 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 57 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 56 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 64 online copy