Northwick 'castle'

Description

The site of a medieval village at Northwick. Once a 'satellite' of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Blockley, was investigated in 1966 by Prof Hilton and Christopher Dyer of Birmingham University.
Close to it, on top of a small hill, at SP16333616, they found the site of a possible castle consisting of an oval enclosure about 30m long, with ditch 1.7m in places.
Minor disturbance of Deserted Medieval Village character at SP163361.
The possible castle is at SP16243617, an enclosure about 73m bounded N by a ditch cutting across a 180m spur, with a scarped slope to S {RAF air photo 1947} No ground evidence of a deserted settlement was seen during perambulation of the area. The feature at SP16333616 is the result of stone quarrying. The 'ditch' 1.5m deep and up to 6.0m in width, is now grassed over, but has been cut through stone and whilst it appears to have been little silted up, there is no trace of an accompanying bank and the excavated soil and rock has been removed elsewhere.
Also there are indisputable old grassed-over stone pits at both ends of the 'ditch'. The scarp-like slope to S is also the result of cutting-bank into the hill slope for stone, as can be seen from the walking platform at the base, now also grassed over {OS}
Houses cleared away in 17th or 18th century by Childe and Rushant families' {GADARG 1982}
The possible castle at SP16243617 appears to be a natural spur which has been emphasised by quarrying. The spring on OS 6" issues from the base of the spur on its SW side. The Deseted Medieval Village itself appears apochryphal in terms of any surface evidence {A Saville 1976}
Cotswolds remarkably free of depopulation but Northwick, formerly reckoned as a village. {Beresford 1954} quoted in {Aston and Viner 1981 (sic - actually they reference Beresford and Hurst 1971)} as at SP168365. This appears to be a misprint and OS grid reference perhaps prevails. {pers comm M Taylor}
AREA ASSESSMENT :-
No plough damage {A Saville 1976}
1980 - The site is mentioned in Beckwith EGC, What to see in Historical Blockley, p4. This source could not be located on 17/03/2000.
2005 - Gloucestershire NMP (Cotswold & Forest of Dean)
The site of a medieval village at Northwick, once a "satellite" of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Blockley, was investigated in 1966 by Professor Hilton and Christopher Dyer of Birmingham University. Close to it, on top of a small hill (at SP 16333616), they found the site of a possible castle, consisting of an oval enclosure about 100 foot long, with a ditch 5 1/2 feet deep in places.
Minor disturbance of Deserted Medieval Village character at SP 163361. The possible castle is at SP 16243617 - an enclosure about 80 yards long, bounded on the north by a ditch cutting across a 600 foot spur, with a scarped slope to the south. No ground evidence of a deserted settlement was seen during perambulation of the area.
The feature at SP 16333616 is the result of stone quarrying. The 'ditch', 1.5m deep and up to 6.0m in width, is now grassed over, but has been cut through stone, and whilst it appears to have been little silted up, there is no trace of an accompanying bank and the excavated soil and rock has been removed elsewhere. Also there are indisputable old grassed-over stone pits at both ends of the 'ditch'. The scarp-like slope to the S is also the result of cutting-back into the hill slope for stone, as can be seen from the working platform at the base, now also grassed-over.
SP 168 365. Northwick listed in review of deserted Medieval villages in Gloucestershire. This quarrying is visible on aerial photographs. No evidence of a deserted settlement could be seen. Remains of two further quarries are to the east and west at SP 1612 3620 and SP 1643 3612. (Gloucestershire HER)

Comments

Although this was reported as a possible castle in 1966 it does not seem to have been accepted as such by the usual castle studies authorities and now appears to be considered as quarry works. Situated within Northwick Park but not considered as a viewing mound or other form of deer park feature.