Monument record 10871 - Castle - Early Norman Motte and Bailey

The site of Chester Castle, during the Norman period, was probably a simple structure comprising the motte (CHER 10871/1), which would have been a circular enditched mount c 5 – 10m in height and c 40m in diameter, still surviving as a low mound on the western edge of the castle’s inner bailey, and originally surmounted by a timber keep (CHER 10871/3) (1, 2, 8). The bailey, which would have been a circular area c 70m in diameter in front of the motte, enclosed by an earthen bank with a timber revetment (CHER 10871/5), beyond which would have been an encircling ditch (CHER 10871/2). The bailey would have been linked to the keep on the motte by an enclosed timber walkway or bridge (CHER 10871/4). Evidence for the latter may be provided by a reference in 1238 to the bridge to the keep falling down and having to be rebuilt (3).

The first Norman castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1070 when he brought his army to Chester to put down a rebellion. The castle site was defended by natural falls on the south and west, and by an artificial elevation on the north. And the earliest fortification would have been confined to the area of the later medieval inner bailey. The presence of an artificial mount on which the original Norman motte may have stood was confirmed by excavations conducted in 1982. The stratigraphy suggested that beneath the stone foundations to the defences of the west range of the inner bailey, was a steeply sloping clay deposit believed to be the top of the motte. During 1995 an archaeological watching brief associated with the laying of new services in the nunnery bailey produced a significant amount of redeposited Roman material which may have made up the fabric of the artificial mound, possibly representing upcast from the original motte and bailey ditch. The stone Flag Tower (CHER 10872/6) may be the location of the original Norman keep (CHER 10871/3) (8).

<1> Simpson F, 1925, Chester Castle, A.D. 907-1925, 26/71-132 (Article in Journal). SCH5695.

<2> Cox, E W, 1895, Chester Castle, Cox E W 1895 5/239-276 (Article in Journal). SCH5599.

<3> Colvin H.M. (ed), 1963-1982, The History of the King's Works, 1/607-612 (Book). SCH3161.

<4> The Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1957-Present, Medieval Archaeology, Wilson D M & Hurst D G 1957 1/156 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2131.

<5> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /4/611,612,613 (Report). SCH1934.

<6> de Lavaux, A, 1745, Plan of the City and Castle of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH5255.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1872-1875, Metric Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6780.

<8> English Heritage, 2001, Chester Castle Conservation Plan (Unpublished Report). SCH6281.

<9> SNM Pipelines Ltd, 2012, Chester Castle, Chester, Cheshire: Archaeological Excavation (Client Report). SCH6819.