Minton Castle Mound

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameMinton Castle Mound
Alternative NamesLittle Stretton
Historic CountryShropshire
Modern AuthorityShropshire
1974 AuthorityShropshire
Civil ParishChurch Stretton

The motte castle 80m north east of Home Farm survives well and is a good example of it class. It will retain archaeological information relating to its construction and occupation. Environmental evidence relating to the landscape in which it was constructed will survive sealed on the old land surface beneath the mound and in the ditch fill. Such motte castles provide valuable information concerning the settlement pattern and social organisation of the countryside during the medieval period and in this respect the proximity of the manor house which lies adjacent to the motte is of interest.

The monument includes the earthworks of a motte castle situated on a foothill of the Long Mynd overlooking ground falling to the east. The motte is visible as a well defined mound 25m in diameter at base rising 4.7m to a flat topped summit 10m in diameter. Traces of a ditch 8m wide and up to 1.3m deep can be seen around the south west and north east sides of the motte. This is the visible part of a surrounding ditch from which material would have been quarried for the construction of the mound. The ditch will however survive as a substantial buried feature all around the motte mound. (Scheduling Report)

Gatehouse Comments

Small Domesday manor. This was held by serjeantry service but not military service, rather as forester or keeper of parts of the Royal forest of The Long Forest. The fairly small motte, probably surmounted by a timber tower, would have symbolised this important royal position. The adjacent house, lost under the modern Manor Farm, does not seem to have been defended.

- 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 ReferenceSO431906
Latitude52.5107116699219
Longitude-2.83897995948792
Eastings343150
Northings290640
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Duckers, Peter and Anne, 2006, Castles of Shropshire (Stroud: Tempus) p. 114
  • Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 87 (slight)
  • Currie, C.R.J. (ed), 1998, VCH Shropshire Vol. 10 p. 72- (tenurial history) online transcription
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 219 (slight)
  • Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p. 38
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 426
  • Rowley, Trevor, 1972, The Shropshire Landscape (Hodder and Stoughton) p. 74, plate 7
  • Wall (after Downham), 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Shropshire Vol. 1 p. 384, 386 (plan)
  • Cobbold, E.S., 1904, in Campbell-Hyslop and Cobbold (eds), Church Stretton: Some Results of Local Scientific Research (Shrewsbury) Vol. 3 p. 89-91
  • Eyton, R.W., 1860, Antiquities of Shropshire (London: John Russell Smith) Vol. 12 p. 4-14 (tenurial history) online copy

Journals

  • 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
  • Anon, c1900, Transactions of the Caradoc and Severn Valley Field Club p. 89-91 (plan)
  • Anon, 1894, Transactions of the Caradoc and Severn Valley Field Club p. 69
  • Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 210 online copy

Other

  • Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2016 (London: Historic England) p. 25 online copy
  • Historic England, 2015, Heritage at Risk West Midlands Register 2015 (London: Historic England) p. 23 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 24 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 21 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 34 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 32 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 33 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 West Midlands (London: English Heritage) p. 43 online copy
  • English Heritage, 1994, Scheduling Papers (Revision, 19/05/1994)
  • Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, 1987, Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 33021 (11/08/1987)