Stockbury Castle

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte Ringwork)

There are earthwork remains

NameStockbury Castle
Alternative NamesStokinburie
Historic CountryKent
Modern AuthorityKent
1974 AuthorityKent
Civil ParishStockbury

Despite some damage caused by the construction of modern buildings and structures, by subsequent quarrying and dumping, and by tree roots, the ringwork and baileys at Stockbury survive as visually impressive earthworks and in buried form, and will contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed and used. The monument includes the earthworks and interior of a Norman ringwork, along with its two baileys or outer wards, situated on a chalk hill which forms part of the Kent Downs. The ringwork itself lies to the north west and is a roughly circular, raised, level area c.56m in diameter, which originally contained the main, residential buildings. These are no longer visible as standing features, but will survive as buried foundations beneath the modern farm buildings and the ground which surrounds them. The ringwork is enclosed by a dry, v-shaped ditch c.10m wide and around 2m deep, surviving as an earthwork to the south west and south east, with a causeway allowing access to the interior on its south eastern side. The profile of the ditch has become partially distorted by a small, modern quarry on its south western side and by modern rubbish dumping. To the south east of the ringwork is a semicircular, inner bailey in which the ancillary buildings, such as stables, workshops and soldiers' accommodation, would have been sited. This level area is defined by a bank 0.5m high and 0.4m wide, bounded by a dry ditch up to 14m wide and around 3m deep, although it has become partially infilled in places over the years. To the south east is a larger, outer bailey enclosed by a slightly curving ditch c.3m wide and 1m deep. This has been partially disturbed at its south western end by a small, modern chalk quarry. The ditch has a slight, inner bank c.0.2m high. (Scheduling Report)

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 ReferenceTQ845616
Latitude51.3238487243652
Longitude0.648190021514893
Eastings584570
Northings161640
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 73
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 133 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 234
  • Newman, John, 1983, Buildings of England: North east and east Kent (Harmondsworth) p. 469
  • Guy, John, 1980, Kent Castles (Meresborough Books)
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Kent Vol. 1 p. 421-2 online copy
  • Sands, Harold, 1907, 'Some Kentish Castles' in Ditchfield and Clinch, Memorials of Old Kent (London) p. 194-5 online copy
  • Hasted, Edward, 1798 (2edn), The history and topographical survey of the county of Kent Vol. 5 p. 572- (manorial history only) online transcription

Journals

  • Ward, A., 1997, 'The castles of Kent No. 1: Stockbury Castle' Kent Archaeological Society Newsletter Vol. 37 p. 2
  • Ward, Alan, 1996-97, 'Stockbury Castle, Kentt' Castle Studies Group Newsletter No. 10 p. 42-44- online copy
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127