Castlefacts³

Lower Oddington motte

Has been described as a Rejected Timber Castle (Motte)

There are no visible remains

Name	Lower Oddington motte
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Gloucestershire
Modern Authority	Gloucestershire
1974 Authority	Gloucestershire
Civil Parish	Oddington

(SP 235254) The possible site of a Norman motte lies south of the church in a wood (OS Map annotation 1937)

The site occupies a small, low, natural ridge with poor defensive potential. There is no indication of artificial scarping of the slopes; it is very unlikely that it was utilised as a 'motte' (F1 CC 15-APR-77).

This location falls within the area mapped from aerial photographs by English Heritage's Gloucestershire NMP, but no trace of a motte was identified on this site during that survey (RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

This alleged motte is near to the church and probably site of medieval village, although that is now further north. The VCH does not mention this supposed motte but does write there was a residential manor house of the Archbishop of York in this general location (Lower Oddington Palace). The tenurial history is of this being a manor disputed between St Peter's Abbey, Gloucestershire and, initially, Ealdred, Bishop of Worcester and his successors the Archbishops of York. Neither of these are likely to have built a castle here.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

332588

County Historic Environment Record

www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=2559&resourceID=108

OS Map Grid Reference	SP235254
Latitude	51.926628112793
Longitude	-1.65964996814728
Eastings	423500
Northings	225400