Dixton Motte (The Gatehouse Record)

Dixton Motte

In the community of Monmouth.
In the historic county of Monmouthshire.
Modern authority of Monmouthshire.
Preserved county of Gwent.

OS Map Grid Reference: SO51791372
Latitude 51.82007° Longitude -2.70082°

Dixton Motte has been described as a certain Timber Castle, and also as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Dixton Mound is a sub-rectangular, or oval mound, c.30m by 40m and 2.0m high, ditched and counterscarped. An excavation in 1849 produced 11th/12th century material. A ceramic assemblage from cattle-tread erosion on the counterscarp is thought to indicate late 11th-early 12th century occupation (Wilson & Clarke 1997); Roman material from the same context were mostly mid-late 2nd century, with a single late pre-Flavian sherd (Wilson & Sockett 1997; Wilson 2000). (Coflein)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). The site consists of a low oblong mound, 2m high, measuring 40m E/W by 18m N/S with steep sides and a convex summit. The motte is surrounded by a 1.5m deep ditch that is 3m wide on the N,S and E sides, extending to 12m wide on the W side. On the S side is a slight external bank. Roman pottery, dated to the 2nd century AD, and sherds of medieval pottery dated to the 11th and 12th centuries AD have been found in erosion scars on the site. (Scheduling Report)

Phillips resurveyed the site and found 'a low rectangular mound surrounded by a... small stream-fed moat' with no evidence of a bailey. A moated site with a raised building platform.

Comments

The finds of C11/C12 pottery may suggest a motte, perhaps one later adapted into a moated site.

Sources of information, references and further reading

The CADW scheduled monument record number is MM125.
The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 306512.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 01222g.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- CastleUK.net
  Charles Taylor's ecastles
  Abaroth's World
Books
- Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 243 (listed)
  Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p. 110-164
  Phillips, Neil, 2006, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (British Archaeological Reports) p. 186-7
  Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p. 74 (slight)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 283
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 166
Periodical Articles
- Wilson, 2000, Archaeology in Wales Vol. 40 p. 96
  Wilson and Clarke, 1997, Archaeology in Wales Vol. 37 p. 100
  Wilson and Sockett, 1997, Archaeology in Wales Vol. 37 p. 74
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  Nash-Williams, 1950, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies Vol. 13 p. 251-2
Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (PhD Thesis University of Sheffield) Download

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other individuals and organisations. It may also contain Designated Historic Asset Descriptive Information from The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), licensed under the Open Government Licence. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes.
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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.

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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This record last updated 07/07/2016 08:23:56

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