Cockroad Wood Motte, Charlton Musgrove

Description

Motte with two baileys, one to the S and the other to the NW, the whole situated along a ridge running N-S. The S bailey appears to have been divided into three smaller enclosures and there is evidence of a slight platform at the junction of these. No masonry is apparent in the construction and there is no obvious entrance, though there may have been one to the E of the motte where the ditch around the S bailey ends. The small counterscarp, partway down the bank around the S bailey, appears to be contemporary but has no obvious purpose (OS Record) Strong defensive position. The motte is 6-7.5m high from the bottom of the ditch which completely encircles it and which is 1-1.25m deep and 13.5m wide The motte has a flat irregular top some 13.5m diameter with no traces of stone buildings. The rectangular bailey to the S is surrounded by a strong bank and ditch. On the W it is scarped out of the hillside, on the S the ditch is 1.5-3m deep and the inner bank 4.5m high, on the E the ditch is 1.5m deep with the bank 3m high. The bailey appears to be divided by an internal bank but it is not visible clearly because of the undergrowth. In addition there is a triangular shaped bailey on the NW side of the motte with dimensions 36m N-S and 32m at its widest point. This bailey lies under a fir plantation with some silver birch as well. Bracken is growing in the ditches The remaining areas of the site are surrounded by fir plantations but were obviously carefully avoided when the trees were planted. Birch trees are invading this clear area which is covered with bracken (HBMC Field Monument Wardens report). Motte and bailey castle on the edge of a summit. Counterscarp bank outside bailey ditch on S. On the far side of the bailey rampart from the motte is a projecting terrace between bank and ditch (referred to as a small counterscarp in earlier entry above), and it is possible that this formed an abutment for a bridge. One of the internal banks in the bailey leads from inside this, and the banks may have been raised walkways. The smaller bailey on the NW is enclosed by a bank, ditch and counterscarp bank; it has been suggested that this may be a ringwork and overlain by the motte (Aston and Burrow). Both baileys are separated from the ditched motte by banks. There are no obvious entrances to the castle, suggesting the use of bridges, walkways and steps (Preece). The land was held by Walter of Douai at the time of the Domesday survey, together with Castle Cary and Bridgwater, both of which later had a castle. By the reign of Henry II the area had become a royal forest (Dunning, R., 1993 per corr). (Somerset HER)

One of three closely spaced castle, the others being Ballands Castle and Castle Orchard. This may well have started as a military camp built during the invasion of Wessex in 1067 but development of the site after this time may have been more connected with providing hunting and convenient accommodation near the major cross country road (now the A303).