Llancillo Castle (The Gatehouse Record)

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

OS Map Grid Reference: SO36712554
Latitude 51.92477° Longitude -2.92175°

Llancillo Castle has been described as a certain Timber Castle, and also as a probable Masonry Castle.

There are masonry footings remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Remains of a Motte and Bailey. The motte is circular and is the only part of the castle currently covered by the Scheduling, about 8 metres high and 39 metres in circumference at the base, and surrounded by a dry ditch and an outer rampart. Around the the top of the Motte, which is 15 metres across are traces of rubble walling which may be associated with a shell keep. Further pieces of re-used stone and ashlar here and at the adjacent church site's enclosure wall suggest a substantial structure or keep at the site. The castle baileys have not survived well, but current evidence suggests that enclosures formerly existed to the north and west of the motte. The castle is probably late 11th century in date. (PastScape)

Circular motte about 43 yds diam surrounded by dry ditch with outer rampart extending for about 20 yds along W side and widened at S end into slight mound, around top of motte are traces of rubble walling of a dormer keep or structure but now mostly covered with soil. On either side are traces of scarps, banks etc which are probably of later date, but some scarps enclosing a small stream on N side of site poss formed part of additional defences. 40 yds NW of motte is small rectangular mound about 2' high and in field on E side of stream and about 190 yds E of motte is small portion of deep ditch and traces of banking (RCHME) Motte has soil covered walls 3-4' high around summit. Ditch and outer bank very clear except where has been removed to drain ditch. Farmer believes land has never been ploughed. Plan of motte with bailey to W (schedule does not cover). Masonry reveals shell keep & foundations of building on V west side of bailey NE of church. (Kay) Members of the archaeology section of the Woolhope Club visited the site on 05/11/89. It is described as having a polygonal keep (probably a shell keep). There are signs of two small semi- circular, buttress towers flanking the entrance, and possibly a further two. There appears to be the footing for a gaderobe on the east side. Further discussion is made of a possible tower on the end of the counterscarp bank on the west side. The bank of the stream on the N side appears to be partially revetted with a stone wall. A sketch plan is given (Halliwell, 1990). (Herefordshire SMR)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1001779, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number he45
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 105625.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 1477.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Herefordshire Through Time
Books
- Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 201-2
  Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p. 110-164
  Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (University of Wales) p. 225-7 Download from ADS
  Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 48
  Remfry, Paul M., 1998, The Castles of Ewias Lacy, 1048 to 1403 (SCS Publishing: Worcestershire)
  Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 103 (slight)
  Stirling-Brown, R., 1989, Herefordshire Castles (privately published) p. 12 (plan)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 208
  1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 50
  Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 256
  RCHME, 1931, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 1: south-west p. xxxv, 165 No. 2 (plan) online transcription
  Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 228 (plan)
Periodical Articles
- Halliwell, P.R. (ed), 1990, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 53 p. 16-18, 20 (plan)
  Thomas, M. and Coplestone-Crow, B., 1982, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 40 p. 6-10 (sketch plan)
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
  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
  Renn, D.F., 1961, 'The round keeps of the Brecon region' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 110 p. 141
  Watkins, Alfred, 1923, Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club p. 287

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Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
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