Stockbury Castle

Description

Despite some damage caused by the construction of modern buildings and structures, by subsequent quarrying and dumping, and by tree roots, the ringwork and baileys at Stockbury survive as visually impressive earthworks and in buried form, and will contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed and used. The monument includes the earthworks and interior of a Norman ringwork, along with its two baileys or outer wards, situated on a chalk hill which forms part of the Kent Downs. The ringwork itself lies to the north west and is a roughly circular, raised, level area c.56m in diameter, which originally contained the main, residential buildings. These are no longer visible as standing features, but will survive as buried foundations beneath the modern farm buildings and the ground which surrounds them. The ringwork is enclosed by a dry, v-shaped ditch c.10m wide and around 2m deep, surviving as an earthwork to the south west and south east, with a causeway allowing access to the interior on its south eastern side. The profile of the ditch has become partially distorted by a small, modern quarry on its south western side and by modern rubbish dumping. To the south east of the ringwork is a semicircular, inner bailey in which the ancillary buildings, such as stables, workshops and soldiers' accommodation, would have been sited. This level area is defined by a bank 0.5m high and 0.4m wide, bounded by a dry ditch up to 14m wide and around 3m deep, although it has become partially infilled in places over the years. To the south east is a larger, outer bailey enclosed by a slightly curving ditch c.3m wide and 1m deep. This has been partially disturbed at its south western end by a small, modern chalk quarry. The ditch has a slight, inner bank c.0.2m high. (Scheduling Report)