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Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Registered Charity No. 247283 |
The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of CornwallWith thanks to Philip Davis |
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Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Registered Charity No. 247283 |
The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of CornwallWith thanks to Philip Davis |
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Penstowe Castle, Kilkhampton
In the
civil parish of Kilkhampton. Earthworks of a motte and bailey, possibly an adulterine castle which was destroyed during the reign of Henry II (1154-89). Excavations on the motte, in 1950, located buildings and C12 pottery. Motte measured 18m east-west by 8m north-south and had an approximate height of 9.3m. It was separated from the inner bailey by a ditch 8m wide and 3.6m deep. Inner bailey was rectangular in plan, it measured 32m east-west by 26m north-south and was surrounded by a rampart 9m wide and 2.4m high on the east side. The north and south sides were defined by a bank 2m wide and 0.5m high. The outer bailey was separated from the inner bailey by a V-shaped ditch 7m wide and 1.5m deep. It measured 26m east-west by 17m north-south. Traces of a rampart, 3m wide and 1.2m high, were identified on the east side. No traces of buildings were identified in either of the baileys.This site has been described as a Timber Castle. These are the earthwork and timber castles of the motte and bailey or ringwork form which where the vast majority of castles of the early conquest period, of the Marches in the 11th and 12th centuries and of the period during the reign of Stephen known as the Anarchy. They were generally fairly short lived, although some such castles survived for centuries, with the timber buildings and defences being replaced on occasions sometimes in timber and sometimes in Masonry (Alderton Castle in Northamptonshire was shown in a Time Team excavation to have been built about 1070 and to still have been having high status visitors in the C15-a fine piece of enamels horse harness being found in the gatehouse). Some of the smaller low mottes may have been adapted into moated manor houses, whilst others where abandoned and replaced by manor houses of a more comfortable and domestic nature. Timber castles varied greatly in size with some being massive constructions clearly deserving the term castle, whilst other were small mounds of minor knights and had a similar size, function and social status as the later pele towers. These small mottes are called 'castle' but this could be considered a rather loose use of the term. The
confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain. Earthworks remains. The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SS24311158
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