Alderton Ringwork

Description

Motte or Ringwork (SP 740469), usually known as The Mount, stands on high ground on the N.E. side of Alderton village, on Great Oolite Limestone at 100 m. above OD. Nothing is known of its history apart from some 13th-century references to it (G. Baker, Hist. of Northants., II (1836–41), 120) but it appears to be of 11th or 12th-century date. It consists of a roughly triangular area raised only about 1 m. above the adjacent land, but surrounded by a very large ditch up to 5 m. deep below a well-marked inner rampart or bank which itself is 1 m.–1.5 m. high above the interior. The ditch has been largely destroyed on the S.W. side and modern houses now occupy its line. However even in the early years of this century no ditch was visible here (VCH Northants., II (1906), 403).
Bridges (Hist. of Northants., I (1791), 280), writing in about 1720, said that 'the entrance . . . seems to have been on the western side'. Presumably he was referring to the gap in the inner rampart in the centre of the S.W. side, but this gap does not appear now to be an entrance. The interior is uneven and very overgrown and no features are visible apart from a sloping platform 0.5 m. high on the S.E. side. On a map of 1726 (NRO) the ditch is shown as filled with water and the area is called Castle Mound. (RCHME 1982)

The Mount at Alderton is one of seven ringworks which survive in Northamptonshire and has an unusual sub-rectangular shape. The monument is largely undisturbed.
The ringwork known as The Mount is located on high ground on the north eastern side of Alderton village, just to the north of St Margaret's church. The monument has a sub-rectangular bank approximately 1m high enclosing a central area which is about 50m across. A large ditch, up to 10m wide and 5m deep, is apparent around the ringwork on all but the south west side. The uneven interior of the ringwork is slightly raised above the surrounding ground surface and is considered to preserve below ground remains of buildings. The early history of The Mount is not clear, but it is mentioned in 13th century records and is considered to be of late 11th century or early 12th century date. On a map of 1726 the ditch around the ringwork is shown filled with water and the area is called Castle Mound. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Excavation finds suggest C11 foundation, possibly on site of existing Saxon site and abandonment in late C14 or early C15. A surrounding ditch remains up to 5m deep but modern housing has encroached on part of the site.
Excavations in 2009 and 2010 have found substantial masonry walls within the ringwork although it seems fairly clear the defences of the castle were timber and earthwork.
Some comment is sometimes made about the shape of this ringwork, usually to describe it as triangular. Gatehouse sees it as a quadrant of a circle. Where this quadrant fully extended into a circle the parish church and some of the core of the village would be within that circle. Was the original Saxon village demarked by a circular feature (a ditch and/or fence)? Does the ringwork represent a massive Norman strengthening of a Saxon thegnal site occupying one quarter of the village?