Breinton Moat

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

There are earthwork remains

NameBreinton Moat
Alternative NamesBreinton Camp
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishBreinton

Earthwork remains of a Norman Ringwork . The ringwork is oval in plan with axes of 34 and 20m, and rises from 0.2m to 1.5m above the surrounding sloping ground. The perimeter bank with an entrance on the north, rises 0.4m above the interior, and an external ditch 10m wide remains on the east and west sides. The earthwork was excavated in 1922 and between 1959 and 1962 when a cellared building was found. The ringwork dates from circa 1150 AD and probably went out of use in C13. (PastScape)

Excavated 1922 but results inconclusive. 1959-62 further excav walled embanked enclosure was med and domestic in character. Building foundations included cellared portion of main building. Entrance to enclosure on N side where remains of stone gateway discovered. Occupied c1150 abandoned in C13, although probably continued as stock enclosure. Kays suggests site may have been grange. Dean & Chapter of Hereford held land here 1201 (Heys) Motte & prob bailey. A D shaped shell keep on a ringwork against a steep river bank. Excav has indicated internal buildings. Bailey boundary difficult to discern, but obvious associated with the Church enclosure (Sterling Brown, 1988). (Herefordshire SMR)

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 ReferenceSO472394
Latitude52.0511894226074
Longitude-2.77049994468689
Eastings347260
Northings239480
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 72-3
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 17
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 478
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 213 (possible)
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 55
  • RCHME, 1932, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 2: east p. xxvi, 27 No. 9 online transcription
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 252

Journals

  • 1995, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 65 p. 29
  • 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., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124 (possible)
  • Heys, F G., 1963, 'Excavations on a Medieval site at Breinton, Herefordshire' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club Vol. 37.3 p. 272-94
  • 1962-3, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 6-7 p. 332-3 download copy
  • 1960, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 4 p. 152-3 download copy
  • Stanford, S.C., 1959, 'Archaeology, Report of Sectional Editor' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club Vol. 36.2 p.243
  • Marshall, G., 1921, Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club p. 68-69