Woolston (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Poundstock.
In the historic county of Cornwall.
Modern Authority of Cornwall.
1974 county of Cornwall.
Medieval County of Cornwall.

OS Map Grid Reference: SS22620206
Latitude 50.79096° Longitude -4.51718°

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

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains.

Description

On the crest of the hill to the east of Woolston farm is a curving rampart c.8.5m wide, up to 1.2m high internally, 0.8m externally with possible ditch to S. Incomplete enclosure - although scarps help define a sub-circular core to the SW of the site, a possible small motte or ringwork, c.15m diameter internally. May be later prehistoric or medieval. Recommend detailed earthwork survey and geophysical survey. (PastScape–ref.Field Investigators Comments–Herring PC, 7-MAY-93, CAU Field Investigation: Fletcher MJ, Rose PG, Herring PC and Thomas SNH, 14-MAY-93 Field Visit)

Comments

Even given the dispersed settlement pattern in Cornwall the obvious manorial centre is Marhamchurch a mile to the north, however the nearby farm is called Woolstone Manor Farm suggesting this was a smaller manor in the parish. If this did represent a small motte the farm could occupy the site of the bailey.
A similar dubious earthwork at Week Orchard, a mile south, was also described as a possible motte by the same field investigator at the same time.

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 912552.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 170482.

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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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