Coughton Danes Bank (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Cappa Hill; Clappers Hill

In the civil parish of Coughton.
In the historic county of Warwickshire.
Modern Authority of Warwickshire.
1974 county of Warwickshire.
Medieval County of Warwickshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SP06456022
Latitude 52.24023° Longitude -1.90676°

Coughton Danes Bank has been described as a Timber Castle but is rejected as such.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Danes Bank: A long rectangular mound crowning the top of Cappa Hill. It is like a gigantic barrow encompassed by a double rampart, terminating on the north side with 2 rectangular enclosures. I have not found another of similar character (Burgess). Rounded knoll called 'Clappers' Hill', in a dominating position. The remains are now slight and disconnected but were strong when Burgess saw them. Described c. 1784 as an old Camp with deep ditches (VCH, 1904). Danes Bank was formerly called 'La Trenche' (date not given but content suggests 12th-13th c.; no mention in EPNS). On it are traces of a row of stakes which, it has been suggested, marked at some time the eastern limit of the royal forest of Feckenham and was used as a deer leap (VCH, 1945). There is nothing extant at Danes Bank to warrant an archaeological association. It is an enclosed/banked area within the precincts of Coughton Park that has been used for major quarry working (gravel extraction), the fact that the quarrying in two places cuts through the Md. pale of Coughton, plus the knowledge that such working had ceased prior to the time of Burgess (1876) suggests a C17/18 date for the industry. The two noted "highest points" on Burgess's plan are spoil/upcast ridges - as correctly portrayed on the 25" - his two "rectangular enclosures" are not traceable, and the "ravine with water" is a deep quarry pit. Whether there was occupation on the hill prior to the industrial working cannot now be ascertained. The site is not particularly defensively strong, is very water-logged, and no record has been encountered re. local archaeological 'finds'. Danes Bank is now under thick bracken with light tree growth (Field Investigators Comments–F1 FDC 11-SEP-68). Scheduled under 'Castles and Fortifications' as 'Danes Bank' (DOE AM's in England 1973 p. 216). (PastScape)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1005749, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number wa73
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 328770.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 547.

Books
- King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 486 (possible)
  Salzman, L.F. (ed), 1945, VCH Warwickshire Vol. 3 p. 74 online transcription
  Willoughby Gardner, 1904, 'Ancient Defensive Earthworks' in Doubleday, H.A. and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Warwickshire Vol. 1 p. 371-3 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Burgess T., 1876, 'Recent archaeological discoveries in Warwickshire (the pre-Domesday Period)' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 33 p. 376-7 online copy
  Burgess T., 1873, 'Ancient British remains and earthworks in the Forest of Arden' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. 29 p. 39 online copy
  Burgess T., 1872, Birmingham and Midland Institute, Birmingham Archaeological Society transactions, excursions and reports Vol. 3 p. 87
  1784, The Gentleman's Magazine Vol. 54

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.
It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from ANY site without proper recording and reporting.
Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

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The author and compiler of Gatehouse does not receive any income from the site and funds it himself. The information within this site is provided freely for educational purposes only.

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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