Staunton on Arrow Motte

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Masonry Castle

There are earthwork remains

NameStaunton on Arrow Motte
Alternative Names
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishStaunton on Arrow

Mound, or motte, circular with a flat top and surrounded by a dry ditch. The diameter at the top is about 63 ft and it rises at most 28 ft above the bottom of the ditch. There can be little or no doubt that it is a castle-mound. Ill-defined scarpings to the S and W may indicate the former existence of one or more baileys (RCHME). This mound appears to be a motte. It rises some 5.4 m above the ditch on the north side, where the ditch is 0.6 m deep. To the S the ditch has been destroyed. The tops of the natural ridges to the north and west, may have been used as baileys, but there is now no evidence of this (Field Investigators Comments F1 DRB 12-JUN-72). (PastScape)

Mound or motte, circular, flat top, surrounded by dry ditch. Diam at top c63' rises almost 28' above bottom of ditch. Little or no doubt this is a castle mound. Ill defined scarpings to S & W may indicate the existence of 1 or more baileys (RCHME) Rises some 5'4m above ditch on N side, where ditch is 0.6m deep. To S ditch has been destroyed. The tops of natural ridges to N & W may have been used as baileys, but no evid of this (OS record 1972) No ditch is visible now except where it runs up against churchyard wall (Scheduling Report) Motte & bailey. Some buried foundations of what was almost certainly a polygonal shell keep on the motte. On side of the mound opp the church are some stone ledges partially exposed poss a stair to the keep. Bailey now poorly defined, but area with spring fed pool & buried foundations are prob part of it. An early castle, almost certainly stone by mid C12 if not earlier (Sterling Brown, 1988). (Herefordshire SMR)

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 ReferenceSO369600
Latitude52.2348403930664
Longitude-2.92449998855591
Eastings336960
Northings260030
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

Calculate Print

Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 261-2
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 62
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 103 (slight)
  • Stirling-Brown, R., 1989, Herefordshire Castles (privately published) p. 18
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 211
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 9
  • RCHME, 1934, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 3: north-west p. 183 No. 1 online transcription
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 229, 231

Journals

  • Sterling Brown, R., 1988, 'Preliminary Results of Castle Survey' Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 50 p. 45
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124