Garnstone Motte

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte)

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameGarnstone Motte
Alternative Names
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishWeobley

Large circular flat topped mound, ditch around, poss outside bank to N, to S of house. Slight R and F in field but not clear relationship. No obvious bailey, but disturbance of ground to SE. Could be part of park landscaping (1 tree on top) but seems overly large for this. (Herefordshire SMR)

Possible motte and bailey castle is close to site of later Garnstone Castle. There is a low motte with traces of baileys to east and west. It is on top of a slope so ditches could never have been wet. The site may have been landscaped as part of the gardens of the last house (Shoesmith)

Gatehouse Comments

In grounds of Nash designed mansion demolished in 1958. Isolated from modern settlement, and position not strategic. The site is probably within the deerpark of Weobley Castle. The mound and associated earthworks (which can not be certainly identified as a bailey) could be any number of things, including post-medieval landscaping, medieval house site, medieval landscaping feature. This close to the major castle of Weobley the least likely explanation would seem to be a motte and bailey although the form on the air photo is remarkably like that of a motte and bailey. A detailed historical examination of the size and extent of the deer park in the C12 and of tenurial history of the area may provide interesting. Was this the site of a small medieval manor, incorporated into the Weobley estate, but maintaining some identity which allowed it to later re-emerge as Garnstone Castle.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO404500
Latitude52.1455192565918
Longitude-2.8716299533844
Eastings340440
Northings250080
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 284-5
  • Robinson, C.J., 1872, A History of the Mansions and Manors of Herefordshire (Logaston Press, 2001 reprint) p. 291-2

Journals

  • 1995, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 64 p. 25-6 (plan)