Harthill Moor Castle Ring

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Ringwork)

There are earthwork remains

NameHarthill Moor Castle Ring
Alternative Names
Historic CountryDerbyshire
Modern AuthorityDerbyshire
1974 AuthorityDerbyshire
Civil ParishHarthill

Castle Ring is an exceptionally well preserved example of a defended settlement. It lies within an area rich in prehistoric monuments, including a second defended settlement, and will contribute to the study of settlement and land-use in this area at this time.

Castle Ring is situated on Harthill Moor in the eastern gritstone moorlands of Derbyshire. The monument is a sub-circular enclosure comprising a bank, external ditch and counterscarp bank surrounding an area of c.0.5 hectares. The internal bank or rampart appears to be of simple dump construction and varies between 1m and 2m high while the counterscarp bank is between 0.5m and 1m high. The ditch is c.5m wide and is less distinct on the south side where there is no rampart visible. This is an indication that the original entrance lay in this region. The monument has not been excavated but it forms part of a rich Bronze Age landscape on Harthill Moor which also includes burial mounds, a second enclosure and Nine Stones Close stone circle. (Scheduling Report)

Gatehouse Comments

Called a possible castle by King, although King used possible to mean questionable or doubtful. Is isolated from manorial centres so highly unlikely as a medieval castle, but it is the form and size of many known medieval ringworks and beside a farmhouse, so not totally isolated. Without excavation can not be rejected.

- 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 ReferenceSK220628
Latitude53.1621513366699
Longitude-1.6713399887085
Eastings422070
Northings362830
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Calculate Print

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 29 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 111 (possible)
  • Cox, J.C., 1905, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Derbyshire Vol. 1 p. 371-2 online copy

Journals

  • Hodges, R., 1980, 'Excavations at Camp Green, Hathersage (1976-77) - a Norman ringwork' Derbyshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 100 p. 32 online copy
  • Preston, F.L., 1954, 'The Hillforts of the Peak' Derbyshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 74 p. 12 online copy

Other

  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 337 online copy