Castlefacts³

Chrishall Park Wood

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Ringwork)

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

Name	Chrishall Park Wood
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Essex
Modern Authority	Essex
1974 Authority	Essex
Civil Parish	Chrishall

Mound surrounded by a moat, mound 85 x 90m. The moat (2 arms of) is shown on the old county map series (no 0S 25" available) but not the mound. The vicar of Chrishall church says it is 70yds north east of the church. A circular work 120ft in diameter surrounded by a ditch, now dry, except on the west side. The RCHM classifies it as a fortified mount. In the south west corner of Park Wood, a sub-circular ring work in close woodland overlooking land to the west but in an otherwise non-commanding position. The work measures 85m overall east-west by about 90m transversely within the enclosed area (level with the surrounding ground), is 4.5m above the level of the surrounding ditch which varies from 12-20m in width. Although water-filed on the west side a slight east to west slope of the ditch suggests there was no intention to form a wet moat. The interior is mainly level with denuded perimeter banking on the north side and an amorphous raised area in the south east corner. Prominent on the north side of the work with traces visible elsewhere is a crudely formed external spoil bank. Crossing the ditch on the south side is an apparently modern causeway. Surveyed at 1:2500 on AM. The 1955(?) OS card gives different dimensions - 37m wide in diameter surrounded by a moat 2.5m deep and 15m wide. Also, from the south east side of the moat there is an extending arm approx 30m long x 12m wide, also dry. Site heavily overgrown. (Unlocking Essex's Past)

Gatehouse Comments

Called a motte by King although he seems to have based this on the RCHME Inventory report rather than a personal site visit (although both the Inventory and the VCH descriptions are those of a ringwork - although they don't use that term). In reality this is a ringwork as described in the scheduling report.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

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

370478

County Historic Environment Record

unlockingessex.essexcc.gov.uk/uep/custom_pages/monument_detail.asp?content_page_id=68&previous_page_id=48&monument_id=14092

OS Map Grid Reference	TL452387
Latitude	52.027889251709
Longitude	0.115209996700287
Eastings	545210
Northings	238740