Elmdon Castle Grove

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Ringwork)

There are earthwork remains

NameElmdon Castle Grove
Alternative NamesElmdonbury
Historic CountryEssex
Modern AuthorityEssex
1974 AuthorityEssex
Civil ParishElmdon

Earthwork of Ringwork, described by RCHM as 1/4 mile north north west of the church, 165ft in diameter at the base. A dry ditch and the ring work is planted with trees and overgrown. Children play there creating a small amount of ground disturbance. There is no trace of other earthworks although there is a series of ponds (moats?) to the south at Elmdonbury. It was in good condition in 1975 and 1981.45.5m in diameter at the base and with a strong rampart around the top and a dry ditch. 60m overall in diameter, the mound attains a height of 3.5m above the bottom surrounding dry ditch which averages 12m in width. The interior, level with the surrounding ground, has a perimeter bank about 2m high on the south side that reduces to 1m on the north west side. The only mutilation is an apparently modern cut through the interior bank on the south east side. (Unlocking Essex's Past)

Fortified Mound, in Castle Grove, is 45.5m metres in diameter at the base and has a strong rampart round the top. A ditch, now dry, surrounds the mount. Condition, good but overgrown. A circular ringwork located on a prominent north facing spur. It is tree planted and scrub covered. The work measures overall 60.0m in diameter, with the mound attaining height of 3.5m above the bottom of a surrounding dry ditch which averages about 12.0m in width. The interior, level with the surrounding ground, has a perimeter bank about 2.0m high on the south side reducing to about 1.0m high on the north west side. The only mutilation of the work is an apparently modern cut through the interior bank on the south east side. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

The large square moat of the later medieval manor house is approx. 400m to the west.

- 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 ReferenceTL459399
Latitude52.0391502380371
Longitude0.127350002527237
Eastings545980
Northings239980
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Osbourne, Mike, 2013, Defending Essex (Stroud: The History Press) p. 24
  • Neville, David, 2003, Lost Castles of Essex (Ian Henry) p. 89
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 28
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 144
  • RCHME, 1916, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex Vol. 1 (north-west) p. 80-81 no. 2 online transcription
  • Gould, Chalkley, 1903, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Doubleday, Arthur and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Essex Vol. 1 p. 293-4 online copy

Journals

  • Milton, P. and Priddy, D., 1984-85, 'Surveys of two small earthwork castles at Elmdon and Bulmer' in Priddy, D. (ed) 'Work of the Essex County Council Archeological Section 1983-84' Essex Archaeology and History Vol. 16 p. 116-118
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127
  • Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol. 33 p. 106-12 (records a precursor site a 1000 yards away, presumably the mill mound on Freewood Lane)