Monument record 928 - Motte and bailey 360m N of Harthill Bank

<1> Grosvenor Museum, Grosvenor Museum Accessions (Index). SCH407.

An earthwork in a sand pit. Much interference.A ditch & outer bank, possibly a motte. Inspected in 1952 by Graham Webster. Scheduled as a motte & bailey in 1972

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ57SE4 1976 (Index). SCH2487.

Inspected by OS in 1964. Suggest this is not an antiquity, as the bank & ditch identified by Webster were created by sand digging. Inspected by OS in 1976. Site consists of a horseshoe shaped bank, 3-5m high, enclosing an area 50m x 40m. Separated from a central knoll by a U-shaped ditch. Both the bank & the ditch have an appearance consistent with dumping. The central mound is too small for a motte in relation to the very strong 'rampart'. The site is probably the result of old sand quarrying. There is a large active sand quarry on the other side of Gallowsclough Lane to the SE

<3> Capstick B, 1981-1987, Field Monument Warden Report, Capstick B 1987 Ches 86 (Unpublished Report). SCH1222.

Field Monument Warden's report describes mound taken to be motte, but could not identify anything like a bailey

<4> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 13453 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<4> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13453 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

Site scheduled as motte and bailey castle. Described as comprising a mound 32m N-S x 12m E-W x 3-4m high with an encircling ditch 1. 8m deep x 7.6m wide. A horseshoe-shaped outer bank 3-4m high with an entrance on S encircles the motte and ditch. Causeway from outer bank to mound on SW side. A raised level bailey, 54.8m long x 27.4m wide is situated to the SE. Area to S & E has been used for sand extraction which has encroached upon site. Area was referred to in 1277 as a stew (vivary) called Ocmere.