Womaston Castle

Description

A moated motte, 30m in diameter and 3.9-4.4m high, with a detached length of bank to the N and E, 147m in length. Landscaped as a garden. A pool lies to the SE of the motte, making this one of several mottes in the Walton basin associated with water-features. (Coflein)

Motte within grounds of Womaston House, tree-covered. Surrounded by a water-filled moat c. 2.4m wide, which is crossed by an old wooden footbridge. (Cadw 1986) Footbridge blocked off and steps leading to top of motte removed. (Cadw, 1994) Scheduled. Revised on 27/10/98 to include a series of outworks that may be contemporary with the castle mound (Cadw, 1998). Close examination of the earthworks showed possible path or track into the bailey from the NW now possibly eroded and infilled - excavation only way to test theory. Some 6m E of the moat there was a 2.5m diameter circular earthwork mound 1m high, probably modern if anything. (Cadw, 1998) Inventory of Radnorshire suggests that originally there were two enclosures and inner one now occupied by the house and gardens, and an outer one which contained the orchard . The moat on the south and south-east was still visible at time of publication. (Cadw 1999) Shrub clearance has been carried out and the shape of the motte is now clearer, particularly its flat top (Cadw, 2000). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built during the medieval period. A motte and bailey castle comprises a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil or stone (the motte) surrounded by, or adjacent to, one or more embanked enclosures (the bailey). Both may be surrounded by wet or dry ditches and could be further strengthened with palisades, revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte. At Womaston the castle sits on a south-easterly facing slope on the north side of the valley of the Hindwell Brook. The motte is c.30m in diameter at the base and stands 3.9-4.4m high, with a flattened summit. Around it runs a water-filled moat c.2.4m wide. A detached line of bank c.147m long, which may have been part of the defences of a bailey, runs to its north and east, parallel with the present-day lane. The full extent of any bailey thus defined is however now unclear, though it has been suggested that it may have contained most of the present house and garden. A pool lies a short distance to the south-east of the motte, a relationship which is paralleled elsewhere in the Walton basin area. All the features described above lie within the gardens of the later house, and are likely to have been adapted to suit the ornamental scheme, though the extent of any such alterations is not clear. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Motte is said to have traces of shell keep although these are unexcavated mainly buried features and may represent later work.