St Briavels Stow Green

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Ringwork)

There are earthwork remains

NameSt Briavels Stow Green
Alternative NamesCastle Tump; Stowe Camp; Old Castle of Dene
Historic CountryGloucestershire
Modern AuthorityGloucestershire
1974 AuthorityGloucestershire
Civil ParishSt Briavels

The earthwork known locally as Castle Tump is listed as a Norman castle by Hogg and King, although earlier described as an Iron Age camp by Playne and Witts. It occupies an area of only 25 yds. dia. on the extemity of a small spur, partly quarried away, and is defended by the scarping of the hill, and by a stone rampart on the "land side", which measured up to 8 ft. in height in 1908, with slight traces of a ditch (Hogg and King; Witts; Morgan).

The "camp" at SO 56430644 has the appearance of a ring motte although the north west side has been quarried away. The rampart is up to 3.2m. high on the east side where the bank has been mutilated in recent times. In the west the rampart rises 2.0m. from the interior, and is then 3.1m. above the slight remains of an outer ditch which forms part of the southern defences. An entrance in the south side is 3.0m. wide and probably original. (F1 DRB 15-SEP-70)

Listed by Cathcart King. This was probably the predecessor of St Briavels Castle which was built circa 1129. (King 1983). (PastScape)

The site of the castle, at the north end of the estate commanding a route up the Stowe valley from the Wye, is a substantial circular rampart. Much rubble stonework is strewn around but may derive from quarrying rather than from buildings. Presumably built for the Crown soon after the Conquest, the castle may have been occupied only for a short period until the establishment of St. Briavels castle on a stronger site and one more effective for controlling the Wye crossing at Bigsweir. In 1310, in the only early reference found to it, the castle at Stowe was called the 'old castle'. (VCH)

Gatehouse Comments

As Paul Remfry states, the idea this is a precursor to St Briavels castle "is not based on any historical or archaeological substance." Certainly the idea that the original founders did not recognise the strongest military site in the area straightaway, as suggested in the VCH, can be dismissed. Remfry suggests this small enclosure may be a C13 monastic grange. Equally he dismisses the 'old castle of Dean' as being a precursor to St Bravels identifying that site, mentioned in 1153, as Welshbury hillfort. The Forest of Dean does seem to have been administered as a number of small balliwicks and it may also be possible this represents an early foresters lodge, later granted to Parc-Grace-Dieu abbey.

- 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 ReferenceSO564064
Latitude51.7549285888672
Longitude-2.63273000717163
Eastings356430
Northings206440
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Gloucestershire and Bristol (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 32
  • Currie, C.R.J. and Herbert, N.M. (eds), 1996, VCH Gloucestershire Vol. 5 p. 247- online transcription
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 183
  • Hart, Cyril, 1967, Archaeology in Dean p. 53
  • Burrow, Edward J., 1919, The Ancient Entrenchments and Camps of Gloucestershire (Cheltenham and London) p. 136-7
  • Witts, G.B., 1883, Archaeological Handbook of the County of Gloucester (Cheltenham) p. 47 online transcription

Journals

  • Rawes, B., 1977, 'A Check List of Castles and other Fortified Sites of Medieval Date in Gloucestershire' Glevensis Vol. 11 p. 39-41 online copy
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  • Col. Morgan, 1909, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 64 p. 78
  • 1906, 'Proceedings at the Annual Spring Meeting. at Chepstow, St. Briavels and Tintern' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol. 29 p. 7 online copy
  • Playne, G.F., 1871-6, Cotteswold Naturalists Field Club Proceedings Vol. 6 p. 235

Primary Sources

  • British Library Harley Charters 111 c. 32.

Other

  • Small, F. and Stoertz, C. (eds), 2006, The forest of Dean Mapping Project, Gloucestershire: A report for the National Mapping Programme (English Heritage Research Department Report Series no. 28/2006) p. 81 online copy