Watch Hill Castle
| Watch Hill Castle | |
|
Cheshire | |
|---|---|
 Footpath by the site of Ward Hill Castle | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SJ74798598 |
| Location: | 53°22’12"N, 2°22’44"W |
| Town: | Bowdon |
| History | |
| Built Probably 12th century | |
| Information | |
Watch Hill Castle (also known as Yarwood Castle, Castle Hill, and Bowdon Watch) is an early mediæval motte-and-bailey on the border of Bowdon with Dunham Massey, in Cheshire. Little remains today, but the site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[1]
The castle site is located north of the River Bollin and south of a deep ravine
History
Substantial dating evidence has not been recovered from the site, but the form of the castle as a timber motte-and-bailey would date it to between the Norman Conquest and the 13th century.[2] The lack of documentary evidence relating to the castle may be attributed to the short term nature of the timber construction; motte-and-baileys were quick to establish and would not necessarily have been used for long periods.[2] A coin found on the site dating to the reign of Henry II, 1154 to 1189, may indicate that the castle was built during this period.[2] The castle most likely belonged to Hamo de Mascy who was involved with the barons' rebellion against Henry II in 1173.
The castle had fallen out of use by the 13th century.[2]
Layout
What remains of the motte is a conical mound, measuring 130 feet wide at the base and 55 feet at the top, 20 feet above the base. The motte is surrounded by a ditch 16 feet wide and 10 feet deep.[3]
The bailey covered a triangular area of approximately half an acre and lay to the east of the motte. It would have been defended by an earthen bank and a palisade; some of the rampart remains as high as a foot in some places. The north side of the bailey was doubly protected by the terrain sloping away steeply, and the south side was protected by the river.
Outside links
References
- ↑ National Heritage List 1014377: Watch Hill motte and bailey castle, south of Streethead Farm
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Redhead (1997), p. 35.
- ↑ National Monuments Record: No. 74893 – Watch Hill Castle
- Watch Hill Castle by Norman Redhead in Mike Nevell (1997). The Archaeology of Trafford. Trafford Metropolitan Borough with University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. pp. 34–35. ISBN 1-870695-25-9.