Huntingfield Ringwork (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Huntingfield.
In the historic county of Suffolk.
Modern Authority of Suffolk.
1974 county of Suffolk.
Medieval County of Suffolk.

OS Map Grid Reference: TM33907436
Latitude 52.31736° Longitude 1.42994°

Huntingfield Ringwork has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such.

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains.

Description

At TM 33907437 a low narrow ridge extending into a stream flood-plain has been cut by a circular ditch, which ploughing has reduced to a dark vegetation mark, about 48.0 m in diameter. The maximum height from ditch to centre of the feature is about 1.0 m, but this is due to the natural fold of the ridge; there is no obvious artificial mound. There is no trace of the adjoining enclosure to the north west. No finds have been made. The Tithe Map of 1846 refers to the fields concerned as "Lower Brick Kiln". No local or documentary evidence has been found to ensure classification of this enclosure. Superficially it resembles a ploughed-down ringwork but the siting is poor defensively. (PastScape–Field Investigators Comments-F1 JRL 08-MAY-74)

Comments

Defense was not often a consideration for the site of ringworks (or for most other forms of castles). The site, near to the church is, in fact, fairly typical for a ringwork. Apparent some finds of medieval pottery are recorded in the Suffolk HER. However, one might expect more evidence from tithe maps, field boundaries, footpaths and other landscape markers of this being a manorial centre. It should also be noted this was in a deer park, the site of a visit of Queen Elizabeth I. It was not untypical for fanciful features to be constructed on these occasions. On this ground Gatehouse has classified this as a doubtful site.
See also Huntingfield Hall > http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/English%20sites/3407.html]

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 391591.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) HFD 011.

Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- Newman, J., Dec 1991, Suffolk Archaeological Service Site Report

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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.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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