Tothill Toot Hill

Description

Toot Hill motte and bailey castle survives well as a series of earthwork and buried deposits. The artifically raised ground will preserve evidence of the land use prior to the construction of the motte. As one of two motte and bailey castles lying within a small area it contributes to an understanding of the inter-relationship of contemporary components of the medieval landscape. Its reuse in the post-medieval period demonstrates its continuing importance as a landscape feature.
The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of the medieval motte and bailey castle, known as Toot Hill, which is enclosed by ditches and banks on low lying ground adjacent to the Great Eau. The land at Tothill was part of the land of Greetham which belonged to the Norman earls of Chester. The site dates to the 11th or 12th century, representing either a fortification dating to the immediate post-Conquest period or to the civil war during King Stephen's reign. In the post-medieval period a house was constructed within the bailey; this house, which is called Tothill Manor, is a Listed Building Grade II and is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it is included.
The motte is a roughly circular mound 8m high with a flat top which measures approximately 70m in diameter. To the west and bounded by ditches was the bailey where domestic buildings would have been located. A second low bank and ditch curve round the northern and eastern side of the motte and bailey. On the southern and western side a series of dry parallel 'V'-shaped ditches provides further defences. These ditches measure 14m in width. The inner ditch enclosing the western part of the bailey continues to the north west to form a funnel entrance into the bailey.
A raised rectangular platform, measuring approximately 15m by 10m, lies between the parallel ditches on the southern side of the motte and is thought to represent the remains of a building platform. The present Tothill Manor is situated in the western part of the bailey. (Scheduling Report)

A mound about 8m high with bank and ditch on the SW side and, to the NE, a large Kindney-shaped earthwork with a bank 2m high. Later described as 'a strong motte, with double-ditched outer bailey forming an original funnel entrance'. The kidney-shaped earthworks is probably due to later surface quarrying. Area 1.8 hectare, length 150m, width 120m, height 8m. (Lincolnshire HER)