Dilwyn Ringwork

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

There are earthwork remains

NameDilwyn Ringwork
Alternative Names
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishDilwyn

The earthwork remains of a Ringwork. The moat encloses a circular area about 165ft in diameter and rising slightly above the surrounding ground and with the remains of a rampart. (PastScape)

Though suggestive of castle site work appears rather to be of homestead moat class (VCH). Moat, partly wet, encloses nearly circular area c165' diameter rising slightly above surrounding ground with remains of rampart. Immed SE pond of irregular form (RCHME). Appears to be ringwork with reduced remains of encircling bank on N side of featureless interior. Ditch waterfilled on E and S, but N side filled in and only slight depression indicates position irregular pond does not appear to be contempory. Watching brief by J Sawle on trenches just outside area of ditch (JS. 1979. SMR file) Motte & bailey. Partly banked on uphill side. Large shell keep is indicated by buried foundations 5'-6' thick. Slightly off centre inside shell is large roughly rect block of buried masonry poss a stone keep. Most of upper bailey has been covered with houses apparently without any record being made of site. An old excav trench on motte, whose report found no stonework stopped only 18" from foundations. Site fo protected by a marsh, mere & fishponds on two thirds of circuit, now mostly drained (Sterling-Brown, 1988). The author was on site to examine the builder's excavations and foundation trenches throughout the development. Finds were retrieved from the site including probable 12th century pottery. After the development there remains the partial ringwork bank on a mound. Historical information is included in the account with reference to those that held the land from 1086. Comment and speculation on the present evidence includes the possibility that Dilwyn was one of the few stone square or rectangular keeps in Herefordshire. The tower might have been surrounded by a shell-wall built up behind the rampart

Indicating a very strong castle, although there is no conclusive proof of this. Discussion is also included of the possible destruction of the site when the fee holding moved from the castle some time after 1200 (HAN, 1993). Since the visit in 1993 houses have been built near the base of the motte, gardens have encroached onto the motte slopes and the tower keep platform is less clear due to soil build up. (Herefordshire SMR)

Gatehouse Comments

The suggestion that this was the site of a Norman square keep does not seem to have been taken up more generally. Herefordshire has limited access to lime and consequential had poor quality lime mortar so masonry buildings are not as well preserved as elsewhere in the country but even so a major tower might be expected to leave rather less ambiguous remains.

- 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 ReferenceSO415544
Latitude52.1847381591797
Longitude-2.85617995262146
Eastings341560
Northings254400
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 98-9
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 26
  • Stirling-Brown, R., 1989, Herefordshire Castles (privately published) p. 3
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 205
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 17
  • RCHME, 1934, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 3: north-west p. xxix (plan), 39 no. 2 online transcription
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 249 (plan)

Journals

  • Sterling Brown, R., 2005, 'Field meeting to Dilwyn and Little Dilwyn' Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 76 p. 39-49
  • Archaeological Research Section Woolhope NFC, 1993, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 60 p. 50-3, 57-8 (plan)
  • Sterling Brown, R., 1988, 'Preliminary Results of Castle Survey' Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 50 p. 43
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1970, 'Castles in Wales and the Marches (Additions and corrections to lists published in 1963 and 1967)' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 119 p. 119-124
  • 1969, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 13 p. 6 (plan)
  • 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 (possible)