Moccas Castle (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Mockes

In the civil parish of Moccas.
In the historic county of Herefordshire.
Modern Authority of Herefordshire.
1974 county of Hereford and Worcester.
Medieval County of Herefordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SO348425
Latitude 52.07654° Longitude -2.95117°

Moccas Castle has been described as a certain Timber Castle, and also as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains.

Description

Earthworks of the castle were visible during the early C20. These comprised two baileys and a small motte. Field investigations carried out in 1971 found most of the earthworks to be ploughed out. It is known that a licence was granted in 1293 for a structure without towers, to be less than ten feet in height below the crenellations, indicating that the site was not strongly defended. The earthwork remains of the motte and part of the bailey to the south-west were mapped from aerial photographs. (PastScape)

Moccas Castle consists of a roughly oval court enclosed by remains of a ditch with subsidiary scarp within area. At E end is v small motte with ditch between it & bailey (RCHME). Ploughed out, leaving only small natural knoll (OS 1971). An early motte and bailey castle, roughly oval bailey has been formed by scarping a low hillock, strengthened by a ditch remains of which are prominent on the south, where there is a secondary scarp. On slope of scarp at E end there is a very small motte, summit 8' x 12'. Ditch between it and the bailey, seems unlikely that any part of castle constructed in masonry.... (Kay, R., 1953, SMR file) 1291: Hugh de Frene obtained charter of freewarren, & 3 yrs later licence to fortify to strengthen it with" stone wall without turret or tower & not exceeding 10' in height below the battlements" de Frenes held till 1375. Foundations can be traced...long formed quarry for road metalling, moat, partially drained is now only a swampy circle... Silas Taylor Harl MS 6726 describes site of modern house (8995) (Robinson) No sign of castle, no earthwork visible with exception of significant field boundary on north. The knoll is a natural feature. (Herefordshire SMR)

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1293 June 15 (Click on the date for details of this licence.).

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 106110.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 1558.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Herefordshire Through Time
Books
- Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 224-5
  Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (University of Wales) p. 249-50 Download from ADS
  Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 476
  Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 52
  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. 41
  Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 262
  RCHME, 1931, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 1: south-west p. xxxvi, 204-5 No. 2 (plan) online transcription
  Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 254 (plan)
  Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 113 online copy
  Robinson, C.J., 1872, A History of the Mansions and Manors of Herefordshire (Logaston Press, 2001 reprint)
  Robinson, C.J., 1869, The Castles of Herefordshire and Their Lords (London: Longman) p. 106-8online copy
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 403 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Coulson, C., 1994, 'Freedom to Crenellate by Licence - An Historiographical Revision' Nottingham Medieval Studies Vol. 38 p. 125n119
  1991, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 55 p. 21 (plan)
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
  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 (Late–attributed to origin in C12 but regarded as later)
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (1292-1301) Vol. 3 p. 23 online copy

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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