Shocklach

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameShocklach
Alternative NamesShocklatch; Shockleach; Shoclach; Castletown Bridge
Historic CountryCheshire
Modern AuthorityCheshire
1974 AuthorityCheshire
Civil ParishCaldecott

A moated enclosure, D-shaped in plan measuring internally 70 m across the chord and 78 m transversely. It is surrounded by a strong ditch, 2.7 m deep in places, now dry but originally waterfilled by damming the S arm through which a stream flows. The modern road now overlies the dam. The enclosure is undoubtedly the site of the fortified manor-house described by Mackenzie, but there are no structural remains. (PastScape)

This site is also considered as a replacement timber castle to Shocklach Oldcastle by some authors. Shocklach and Shocklach Oldcastle are recorded on the same record in the PastScape.

Gatehouse Comments

Swallow (2013/14) shows this was not a 'moat' succeeding the motte and bailey of Oldcastle. These two sites were separate motte and bailey castles, held by different owners and, possibly, concurrent with each other. They were in different manors and the probably manorial boundary was the road between the two sites. This road, at this point, is recorded as having a toll gate from at least 1290 and the two castle may have been built to control this route and for the income the tolls generated. However it does appear this site did continue in use

- 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 ReferenceSJ434509
Latitude53.0518493652344
Longitude-2.84498000144959
Eastings343400
Northings350900
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Calculate Print

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Lancashire and Cheshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 21
  • Cullen, P.W. and Hordern, R., 1986, Castles of Cheshire (Crossbow Books) p. 10
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 68 (Shocklach No. 2)
  • Ridgway, Maurice Hill, 1958, 'Medieval Castles' in Sylvester, D. and Nulty, G. (eds), The Historical Atlas of Cheshire (Cheshire Community Council) p. 24-5
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 179-80 online copy
  • Clark, G.T., 1884, Mediaeval Military Architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol. 1 p. 179 online copy
  • Ormerod, G., 1882 (2edn), History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 2 p. 689
  • Ormerod, G., 1819, History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 2 p. 376-9 online copy

Antiquarian

Journals

  • < >Swallow, Rachel, 2013/14, 'Two for one: The archaeological survey of Shocklach Castle, Cheshire' Cheshire History Vol. 53 p. 18-44 < >
  • Williams, S.R., 1983, 'Church Shocklach. Castletown: the “moated” site' Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin Vol. 9 p. 59-61
  • 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

Primary Sources

  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) (lists sources for 1272-1422) p. 140

Other

  • Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk North West Register 2016 (London: Historic England) p. 8 online copy
  • Historic England, 2015, Heritage at Risk North West Register 2015 (London: Historic England) p. 10 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 11 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 10 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 26 online copy