Ashton Keynes Halls Close

Description

Earthworks of a Medieval ringwork and bailey. During excavations in 1959 a large quantity of pottery dating to C12 - C13 was found. There is some debate as to whether this is the site of a castle captured by Stephen in 1139, or whether the latter was sited at South Cerney (SU047976).

A ringwork and bailey forming a rectangle 140m by 85m, known as Halls Close. Excavated by G M Knocker in 1959 revealing a puddled clay ditch and a dry stone wall in a bank. Many finds. (Wilts SMR)

The Hall's Close site survives well and has considerable potential for the recovery of archaeological remains. The importance of the monument is enhanced by the likelihood of the survival of below-ground waterlogged and organic remains, as a result of its location on level ground adjacent to a tributary of the River Thames. Such evidence will provide a detailed insight into the economy of the people who inhabited the site and the environment in which they lived.
The monument includes a ringwork and bailey set on level ground immediately north of a tributary of the River Thames. The ringwork comprises a raised platform 0.5m above ground level and 50m across defined by a low inner bank and a broad ditch 10m wide and 1m deep. To the west of the ringwork is a level bailey, again defined by bank and ditch, the bank standing to a maximum height of c.1m. Remains of an additional outer bank can be traced in fields immediately south of the southern arm of the ditch. East of the ringwork is a further extension of the bailey. This appears to have been reduced by cultivation although the ditch can still be traced as a low earthwork running NNW-SSE. It survives to a width of c.3m and is 0.2m deep. The moat surrounding the ringwork was fed by a channel linking the monument with a tributary of the River Thames. This can be traced in a field south of the ringwork as a linear feature c.4m wide and 0.3m deep. The site was partially excavated by a local, Gp Cpt Knocker, in 1959. This revealed a dry stone wall set in the bank of the ringwork and a clay-lined ditch. Finds of pottery and metalwork, believed to be contemporary with the monument, were recovered. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Regarding the castellum de Cernei mentioned in 1139 this castle was stormed, rather than besieged, so this may suggest a small castle although still significant enough to be mentioned. South Cerney is most generally accepted as the site of this munitiunculam of Miles of Gloucester. The other places mentioned in this paragraph of the Gesta Stephani are Trowbridge and Malmesbury which might suggest this was a campaign against urban centres in Wiltshire, which makes Calne a weak possibility. South Cerney was a holding of Miles of Gloucester and is, therefore, probably the correct identification.