Haughton Duck Decoy

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameHaughton Duck Decoy
Alternative Names
Historic CountryNottinghamshire
Modern AuthorityNottinghamshire
1974 AuthorityNottinghamshire
Civil ParishHaughton

A motte and bailey castle of the late C11 or early C12. The castle now stands within dense woodland, although it would have once been visible from nearby Bothamsall Castle The motte is one of the largest in Nottinghamshire at 11m high by 40m diameter at the base. The bailey area is very difficult to interpert, however a substantial semi-circular ditch lies 100m south of the motte. The site was later redeveloped as part of the formal grounds of Haughton Hall and incorporated a duck decoy, ornamental lakes and the motte was transformed into a prospect mound with spiral terrace. (Wright 2008)

Gatehouse Comments

Now isolated but was near site of DMV and some ruins remain of the old parish church at SK 69117298 1.5km away. Site seems to have scheduled as a motte and bailey in 1978 but otherwise seems to have missed the attention of castellogists before then and only by Wright since then. The history as a duck decoy gun mound dominates its recording and the alteration of a spiral terrace has made it look unlike a motte. The adaptation of an old motte and bailey in low lying marshy land into a duck decoy and shooting mount would have been fairly straight forward but building such a site from scratch is also possible although rather more expensive.

- 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 ReferenceSK682717
Latitude53.2385215759277
Longitude-0.97978001832962
Eastings468200
Northings371780
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • Wright, James, 2008, Castles of Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire County Council) p. 43, 66
  • Bonnett, F., 1910, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Nottinghamshire Vol. 2 p. 401 (as duck decoy) online copy

Journals

  • Blagg, T.M., 1931, 'Haughton Hall and Haughton Chapel' Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire Vol. 35 (as duck decoy) p. 6-7 view online copy (hall) [view online copy (chapel) > http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/articles/tts/tts1931/haughtonchapel.htm]

Other

  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 481 online copy