Penley Copse, Isnage (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Froyle.
In the historic county of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Modern Authority of Hampshire.
1974 county of Hampshire.
Medieval County of Hampshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SU77604586
Latitude 51.20669° Longitude -0.89082°

Penley Copse, Isnage has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such.

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

In the NW of PENLEY COPSE, on level ground, is a rectangular earthwork consisting of two portions, placed longways, E-W; the western rectangle c.45 yards by 31 yards and the eastern one c.34 yards by 27 yards - the measurements are only approx. The larger and principal enclosure has a bank 2 feet high and a ditch 3 feet deep; 34 feet wide overall and in fair preservation except the SE corner where the bank is gone. The entrance 12 feet wide, is just S. of the W. side with no particular features. The E. enclosure has a bank 1 1/2' high and ditch 1' deep. The soil is clay - ponds could be made anywhere. A 'T' shaped trench c.8' wide on the E. side holds a little water.
The earthwork gives the impression of having been protective rather than defensive and the name of the copse suggest a cattle enclosure. PEN. however may refer to the hill on which it is situated (Williams-Freeman; Rev.O.N.B. 1933, 11; P. Hants F.C., 13 (1935-7), 229).
The major part of PENLEY COPSE has now been cleared of trees and the eastern part of this earthwork is in a ploughed field; the bank and ditch are now unsurveyable. The description of the earthwork given by WILLIAMS - FREEMAN - is correct. Probably as a result of the clearance of the trees, foundations of buildings can be seen in the eastern part of the western enclosre as low turf banks with flints on and about them, and with parched grass following their line. No tile fragments were seen or any finds made and it would appear that the enclosures and buildings are a simple Md, homestead (F1 WW 29-JUN-56). (PastScape)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1001922, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number ha122
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 243738.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 17492.

Books
- Osborne, Mike, 2011, Defending Hampshire: The Military Landscape from Prehistory to the Present (Stroud: The History Press) p. 243 (listed in Appendix)
  Williams-Freeman, J.P.,1915, An Introduction to Field Archaeology as Illustrated by Hampshire (London) p. 308, 425
Periodical Articles
- 1935-7, Proceeding of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society Vol. 13 p. 229

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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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