Stephens Mount, Crowmarsh (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Crowmarsh Gifford; Stephens Castle

In the civil parish of Crowmarsh.
In the historic county of Oxfordshire.
Modern Authority of Oxfordshire.
1974 county of Oxfordshire.
Medieval County of Oxfordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SU61318940
Latitude 51.60057° Longitude -1.11705°

Stephens Mount, Crowmarsh has been described as a certain Siege Work.

There are no visible remains.

Description

Has been assumed in the past to be the location of a siege castle. However, this is not supported by current evidence. The recorded features and dating evidence resulting from evaluation at Walter Wilder site did not meet the criteria for the possible presence of a siege castle.
In 1153 Henry, son of Maud, besieged a fort which Stephen had erected opposite Wallingford Castle. Few extant remains - few earthwork ditches. (Timbs and Gunn)
The 'ditch' alleged to have once formed part of the earthwork has for the most part been filled in but a fragment, 82m in length, survives at the west end. It is of very doubtful antiquity and is probably a comparatively modern drainage ditch. South of and at right angles to the Wallingford-Henley road there is a bank and ditch of feeble profile which occupies a position similar to those formerly north of the road but now destroyed. It is 60m in length and apparently continued in an easterly direction but it now fades out after 20m although its line may be indicated by the property boundary to houses south of the road which is also followed by a parish boundary. It may have formed part of Stephens Mount. (Field Notes/Field Visit. A Clarke (1961))
Crowmarsh Castle, 1146, built on 'impregnable site' made of wood; motte and bailey. End of second siege of Wallingford. 'A work of wondrous toil and skill' (Gervase of Canterbury). Duke Henry besieged castle in 1153, built defensive earthworks, probably ditch, and palisade round his force, then demolished it and withdrew to Berkshire side of river. Truce followed. (Slade)
Identified as siege or counter castle constructed against Wallingford Castle during Stephen's Reign. Nothing remains of this fortification, constructed in 1142 and most important of counter-castles round Wallingford. There used to be a feature called Stephen's Mound, lying north of road and west of church, but site has been levelled for industrial purposes and is now covered by houses. Resisted assaults by Angevin forces in 1153. Its purpose described as preventing sorties and raids. Documentary and archaeological updates. (Spurrell) (Oxfordshire HER)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 241786.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 2010.

Books
- Michael Fradley, Duncan Wright and Oliver Creighton, 2016, 'Corfe, 'Crowmarsh Recreation Ground, South Oxfordshire' in Duncan Wright and Oliver Creighton (eds), Castles, Siegeworks and Settlements Surveying the Archaeology of the Twelfth Century (Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd) p. 49-56
  Christie, Neil, Creighton, Oliver et al, 2013, Transforming Townscapes From burh to borough: the archaeology of Wallingford AD 800-1400 (London: Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph 35) p. 235-6
  Purton, P.F., 2009, A History of the Early Medieval Siege c. 450-1220 (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press) p. 275
  Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 68
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 387
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 338
  Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol. 2 (London) p. 53 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Laban, G., 2013, 'Evidence for a Stephanic siege castle at the Lister Wilder site, The Steet, Crowmarsh Gifford' Oxoniensia Vol. 78 p. 189-211
  Christie, N., O'Sullivan, D., Creighton, O. and Hamerow, H., 2004, 'The Wallingford Burh to Borough research project: 2003 interim report' South Midlands Archaeology Vol. 34 p. 94–102
  Speight, Sarah, 2000, 'Castle Warfare in the Gesta Stehani' Château Gaillard Vol. 19 p. 269-274
  Spurrell, M., 1995, 'Containing Wallingford Castle, 1146-53' Oxoniensia Vol. 60 p. 257-70 online copy
  Slade, C.F., 1960, 'Wallingford Castle in the reign of Stephen' Berkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 58 p. 33-43 download copy

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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.

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