Shipbrook Castle Hill

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

There are no visible remains

NameShipbrook Castle Hill
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCheshire
Modern AuthorityCheshire
1974 AuthorityCheshire
Civil ParishDavenham

The site of a Norman castle is indicated by the name of Castle Hill, between Shipbrook Bridge, and Shipbrook Hill Farm. The remains are said to have actually existed on this spot circa 1850 {sic - actually cleared c. 1790} and to have been cleared away under the direction of Mr. Edward Tomkinson (Ormerod). Probably a mound (Clark). No trace of a castle, or information concerning one, was found. Shipbrook Hill Farm is on a river escarpment and there is no high ground between there and the bridge. Three stone lintels of ogee-headed windows with carved heads above lying at SJ 6751 7102 are the only trace of antiquity in the vicinity. They are of doubtful date (Field Investigators Comments–F1 JHW 25-MAY-64). Some stones are located at the informant's farm, said to be from Shipbrook Castle, and to answer roughly to the description above. As at 2007 the best-preserved example, of sandstone, appears to have been the apex of an archway with a head carved on it, but is much weathered (Oral information). Described as an example of a baronial castle, several of which were built during the Welsh Wars. Little remains of most of these structures (Husain). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

King writes destroyed in C18, a little doubtful. Shipbrook castle seems to have history as being in possession of Richard de Vernon, mentioned in Domesday. Not near medieval settlement but overlooking a river crossing. The mound in the flood plain of the river so almost certainly not a barrow, or windmill mound. Clearly whatever earthworks were here were capable of clearance in a time before bulldozers and this suggests a relatively small mound. Possibly a small castle more symbolic of the status of the tenant of the farmstead. The scant masonry remains and again the relatively easy clearance suggest the stonework form of the castle was domestic.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ673711
Latitude53.2358016967773
Longitude-2.48985004425049
Eastings367350
Northings371100
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Grimsditch, Brian, Nevell, Michael and Nevell, Richard, 2012, Buckton Castle and the Castles of the North West England (University of Salford Archaeological Monograph 2) p. 112
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 69
  • Husain, B.M.C.,1973, Cheshire Under the Norman Earls 1066-1237 (Chester:Cheshire Community Council) p. 99, 101 (Vol. 4 of Bagley, J. (series ed) A History of Cheshire )
  • Ridgway, Maurice Hill, 1958, 'Medieval Castles' in Sylvester, D. and Nulty, G. (eds), The Historical Atlas of Cheshire (Cheshire Community Council) p. 24-5
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 179 online copy
  • Ormerod, G., 1882 (2edn), History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 3 p. 253
  • Ormerod, G., 1819, History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 3 p. 130-34 (tenurial history) online copy

Journals

  • Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 202 online copy