Eardisland Monks Court Mound

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Possible Siege Work, and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameEardisland Monks Court Mound
Alternative Names
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishEardisland

The earthwork remains of a possible motte at Monk's Court. The site lies north of the River Arrow, approximately 0.3 kilometres north west of a more substantial motte and bailey (Eardisland Castle . The smaller mound is roughly circular, measuring 28 metres at the base and standing 1.5 metres high. Traces of a ditch survive on the northern side. This may be the site of a castle or an unusual form of moated manor. (PastScape)

Circular mound - flat-topped, c. 1.5m high. Depression in top, off-centre. Near river and centre of old village. "Monks Court" indicative of former possession by a monastic house (Wigmore Abbey?); cf Nun House Farm 250m NW (a possession of Limebrook Priory). The raised mound may by an unusual form of moated manor, designed to raise the buildings above the flood plain of the River Arrow. It may instead have been a motte, but there is another close by to the south-east... In either case there may be associated features within the property boundary. (Herefordshire SMR)

Gatehouse Comments

Suggested a siege work by Renn, mainly on grounds of proximity to Eardisland Castle.

- 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 ReferenceSO419588
Latitude52.2243309020996
Longitude-2.85167002677917
Eastings341930
Northings258800
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 106
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 27
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 213 (possible)
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 14
  • Pevsner, N., 1963, Buildings of England: Herefordshire (Harmondsworth)
  • RCHME, 1934, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 3: north-west p. 50 no. 53 online transcription
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 226 (plan)

Journals

  • Archaeological Research Section Woolhope NFC, 1994, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 62 p. 15-16 (plan)
  • 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)
  • Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol. 33 p. 106-12 (listed as siegework)
  • 1930, 'Stretford, Eardisland and Kingsland, Fourth Field Meeting, Thursday August 21st' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club p. xxx