Orcop Castle

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

There are earthwork remains

NameOrcop Castle
Alternative NamesMoat Farm
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishOrcop

Earthwork remains of a Motte and bailey. The circular motte averages 74yds in diameter at the base and rises approximately 21ft above the surrounding moat which is now (1972) practically dry. A kidney-shaped bailey is surrounded by a shallow ditch. The entrance to the bailey appears to be in the middle of the north side. (PastScape)

The partly exposed foundations of a polygonal shell keep crown the top of the motte, showing the probable entrance. Some buried foundations in the bailey. Wet defences still present. Keep almost certainly C12 or earlier. (Herefordshire SMR ref. Sterling Brown, 1988)

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 ReferenceSO473265
Latitude51.9349517822266
Longitude-2.76792001724243
Eastings347300
Northings226550
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 230
  • Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (University of Wales) p. 283-4 Download from ADS
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 53
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 103 (slight)
  • Stirling-Brown, R., 1989, Herefordshire Castles (privately published) p. 14
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 209
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 230
  • RCHME, 1931, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 1: south-west p. xxxiv, 208 No. 2 online transcription
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 243-44

Journals

  • Shoesmith, R., 2001, 'Archaeology, 2001, Report of Sectional Recorder' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club Vol. 50.2 p. 269
  • Sterling Brown, R., 1988, 'Preliminary Results of Castle Survey' Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 50 p. 44
  • 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