Barling Magna Brimstone Hill (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Barling Magna.
In the historic county of Essex.
Modern Authority of Essex.
1974 county of Essex.
Medieval County of Essex.

OS Map Grid Reference: TQ94388948
Latitude 51.57047° Longitude 0.80338°

Barling Magna Brimstone Hill has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such.

There are earthwork remains.

Comments

Mound with evidence of late C13 early C14 occupation. Isolated and surrounded by tidal waters and marshland. The location is not that of a residence of any form. A Red Hill is a mound that was produced by Iron Age or Roman salt making, of which an estimated 150-200 exist in Essex. This seems a much more probably explanation for the origin of the mound but does not account for the medieval occupation. However nothing suggests this occupation was high status.
Previously Gatehouse has suggested "Most unusual siting, I doubt this is a manorial site, and siting is not a military strategic one. Possibly some form of hunting lodge. Suggested by me as location of Brymshoo where Humphrey de Bohan was granted a licence to crenellate in 1347. This was one of ten sites licensed and it's seems unlikely that the licence was acted upon." This suggestion is now withdrawn and Brymshoo given its own record.

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 420431.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 11098.

Periodical Articles
- Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, D.G.(ed), 1970, 'Medieval Britain in 1969' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 14 p. 176 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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