Black Hawes Castle, Westcott

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are uncertain remains

NameBlack Hawes Castle, Westcott
Alternative NamesBalchins Lane
Historic CountrySurrey
Modern AuthoritySurrey
1974 AuthoritySurrey
Civil ParishMilton (formerly Dorking)

Recording of a large earthwork, which is possibly part of the remains of a fortified Norman manor house known from documentary evidence as Black Hawes Castle. A sherd from a 12th or 13th century cooking pot was recovered in the garden below the earthwork. (SSHER)

It is also said that there was in one of the shady coppices near Westcott, a castle which was known as "Black Hawes," and belonged to the "Ewtons," of which scarcely any remains are now to be found. (Bright)

In a coppice called Black-hawes was another castle demolished at the same time (by the Danes), and nothing now but the mote and some few bricks remain. (Aubrey quoted in Bray, 1789)

Gatehouse Comments

Certainly a likely manorial centre site; close to a mill ('There was a mill at Westcote at the time of the Domesday Survey; it is also mentioned in the inquisition taken at the death of Laurence de Hastings in 1348, when it was stated to be a water-mill.' (VCH)) . However the nearby parish church is a new build mid C19 construction.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ137487
Latitude51.226619720459
Longitude-0.372159987688065
Eastings513700
Northings148700
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Malden, H.E. (ed), 1911, VCH Surrey Vol. 3 p. 141-50 (tenurial history only. no mention of this site) online transcription
  • Bright, J.S., 1884, A history of Dorking and the neighbouring parishes p. 10 online copy
  • Aubrey, J., 1719, Natural History and Antiquities of Surrey Vol. 4 p. 187

Journals

  • 2003, 'Archaeology in Surrey 2002' Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol. 90 p. 350 online copy
  • Rapson, G., 2002, 'A suggested location of Black Hawes 'Castle' at Westcott' Bulletin of the Surrey Archaeological Society Vol. 357 p. 11-12
  • Bray, Wm, 1789, 'Some account of a Roman road leading from Southampton by Chichester and Arundell, through Sussex and Surrey to London, so far as the same is found in Surrey' Archaeologia Vol. 9 p. 102 online copy