Castlefacts³

Turret Castle, Huntington

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

There are earthwork remains

Name	Turret Castle, Huntington
Alternative Names	Hell Wood
Historic Country	Herefordshire
Modern Authority	Herefordshire
1974 Authority	Hereford and Worcester
Civil Parish	Huntington

Motte and bailey surviving as earthworks. The site was mapped from aerial photographs (the motte was masked by trees). The motte is 7.2m high on the south west side and 6m high on on the north east side. The base diameter of the motte is 46m and the oval shaped flat summit is 25m by 22m. The bailey has a maximum length of 104m and a maximum width of 32m. (PastScape)

Remains of motte & bailey, the prox of this to Huntington Castle & known later occupation of latter seem to imply priority of date of Turret Castle. Occupies base of spur running out towards E, consists of circ motte with irreg shaped bailey to E. Motte c 50m diam & rises c9m above bottom of ditch between it & bailey. Bailey has remains of rampart & also ditch betw it & spur to E. Entrance on this side, poss that remainder of spur formed an outer enclosure. (RCHME) Motte & bailey. Thanks to the badgers that have a sett in the motte, part of the foundations of a wall betw 5-6' thick were exposed pointing to a shell keep. There are buried & part exposed lengths of curtain wall foundations all around the site. Part exposed foundations of a gatehouse to the smaller bailey on the point of the ridge. There do not appear to be any flanking towers, but on this strong ridge site not really necessary. This is an early castle C11-12. Thought to be the forerunner of Huntington, but no proof of this. (Stirling-Brown, 1988; HAN 1999) Ron Shoesmith has suggested the possible existence of the foundations of a curtain wall, which may be concealed by the bailey bank. Excavation would have to confirm this. (HAN 1999) (Herefordshire SMR)

Gatehouse Comments

Hell Wood - The late Richard Kay discovered another motte just a short distance south of Turret Castle. It is a ridge-end site formed by cutting a ditch across the promontory and scarping a motte. (Shoesmith p. 171 Ref. HAN 66 at map ref. SO258532) The given description and map reference do not fit together and, awaiting further information, Gatehouse considers this to be a duplicate of Turret Castle or, at least, part of that castles earthworks.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

105021

County Historic Environment Record

htt.herefordshire.gov.uk/her-search/monuments-search/search/monument?smr_no=945

OS Map Grid Reference	SO258533
Latitude	52.1737785339355
Longitude	-3.08510994911194
Eastings	325890
Northings	253390