Monument record 423/1/3 - Southern Bailey, Lilbourne Castle (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Earthwork: Non-destructive fieldwork

{2} To the south east of the motte is a later bailey consisting of a rectangular raised platform bounded on three sites by a massive bank and surrounded by a ditch up to 2m deep. The bank is some 2.5m high except at the south and south east corners where it rises a further 1.5m to two prominent mounds. The great size of this bank, and the fact that the bailey is constructed on ground rising out of the valley bottom means that it dominates the adjacent motte as well as improving the tactical position of the site from the south.

{5} To the south east of the motte is a larger bailey, a later addition as it truncated the south side of the motte ditch. The bailey, of approx. 750m square, is enclosed on the east, south and west sides by a bank 2.5m high. The south east and south west corners of the south bailey rampart are raised above its sides. Indeed, the corners are higher than the motte. It seems these corners were miniature mottes.

<1> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.126 site 2 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<3> Timmins E.W., 1997, Lilbourne, A brief history, (unchecked) (Website). SNN44073.

<4> Northamptonshire County Council, 1997, Photographs, (unchecked) (Photographs). SNN52353.

<5> RYLATT J, 1997, Lilbourne Castle, Northamptonshire: a survey of the earthworks, pp.23-7 (unchecked) (Dissertation). SNN72869.

<6> Cadman, G., 2003, Lilbourne Castle, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN106861.

Record last edited

Oct 1 2010 2:51PM