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Almeley Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Almley; Almeleia

In the civil parish of Almeley.
In the historic county of Herefordshire.
Modern Authority of Herefordshire.
1974 county of Hereford and Worcester.
Medieval County of Herefordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SO33235142
Latitude 52.15717° Longitude -2.97729°

Almeley Castle has been described as a certain Timber Castle.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Remains of a Motte and bailey, extant by 1216 . The motte is 35m in diameter and 8m high. The ditch is from 1.3m deep on the south side to 2.5m deep on the north side below the bailey, and is 8m in width. The bailey is some 50m square and is bounded by a ditch on the east side, 12m in width and 2m in depth. there are also the remains of fishponds. (PastScape)

Beside the church of Almeley is a grass-grown mound, upon which the keep of a medieval castle once stood. The circular motte is 35m in diameter and 8m in height from the base of the encircling ditch. The ditch is 1.3m deep on the south side and 2.5m deep on the north side below the bailey. The ditch is 8m in width. The bailey is 50m square and bounded by a ditch on the east side, 12m in width and 2m in depth. The ditch formerly continued around the north side but has since been filled in to form a graveyard extension of the nearby church. The west side of the bailey is bounded artificial steepening of the natural slopes, presenting a bank 4.5m in height. Traces of an inner bank can be seen on the north-west side of the bailey, and the original causewayed entrance appears to have been in the east side. To the south-west of the castle motte are two rectangular depressions, which are thought to have been fishponds supplying the castle. Roughly 50m south-west of the motte, traces of two medieval fishponds can be seen. These fishponds - now dry - are at the foot of a ridge by a stream. One fishpond measures 42m x 20m and the other 50m x 18m. The whole site of the ancient castle is now under pasture. (Herefordshire Through Time)
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
PastScape   County HER   Scheduling        
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Sources of information, references and further reading
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This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:21:34

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