Newcourt Tump, Bacton

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Masonry Castle

There are masonry footings remains

NameNewcourt Tump, Bacton
Alternative NamesNewcourt Farm
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishBacton

Remains of a motte and bailey. A fortified enclosure protected on two sides by a natural double scarp with a berm between and on the western side by a ditch and inner rampart. The triangular spur has been used to create a defensive bank of up to 10 metres in height. Within the easternmost angle of the enclosure is a small mound with a depression in the top. The mound is quite low and unusually rectangular, possibly because it is not a motte but the overgrown remains of a former structure. The bailey area has the overgrown remains of rectangular structures still visible on the ground, with some delineated by exposed masonry walls. Thes western edge of the site hads been made defensive through the construction of a cross ditch of up to 3 metres in height. The site is intervisble with several other castle sites in the Golden Valley. The castle appears to have fallen out of use by the 14th century, although there are no known documentary references to the site. There appears to be significant dispute over the form and nature of this site. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Phillips suggests this was a watch tower overlooking the Golden Valley. He does also suggest the site as an enclosed farmstead. However there are similarities to 'knight's fee' type farmsteads with mounds in other parts of the welsh marches.

- 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 ReferenceSO371335
Latitude51.9969100952148
Longitude-2.91710996627808
Eastings337130
Northings233560
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 54-5
  • Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p. 110-164
  • Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (University of Wales) p. 118-19 Download from ADS
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 53
  • Stirling-Brown, R., 1989, Herefordshire Castles (privately published) p. 1, 2
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 202
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 47
  • RCHME, 1931, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 1: south-west p. 20-1 no. 8 online transcription
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 233

Journals

  • Halliwell, P. (ed), 1990, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 53 p. 18-19 (plan)
  • Sterling Brown, R., 1988, 'Preliminary Results of Castle Survey' Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 50 p. 41
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1970, 'Castles in Wales and the Marches (Additions and corrections to lists published in 1963 and 1967)' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 119 p. 119-124
  • Marshall, G., 1938, 'The Norman Occupation of the Lands in the Golden Valley. Ewyas, and Clifford, and their Motte and Bailey Castles' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club p. 149-50 online transcription

Other

  • Kay, R.E., 1946-47, Diaries. Series 1 Vol. 3 (RCAHMW) p. 313
  • Kay, R.E., 1952, Diaries. Series 3 Vol. 7 (RCAHMW) p. 403