Monument record 438/1/0 - Mote Hill/The Mount

Manorial residence of the lords of Warrington until their removal to Bewsey Hall.Prob a pre-existing manorial site underlay the castle.After Norman conquest, manor and hundred of Warrington sublet by Roger of Poitou & passed to the de Boteler family.They constructed a timber stronghold at Mote Hill, which was destroyed by fire c.1260, after which time the family moved to Bewsey Hall(1).By 1587 Mote was described as 'decayed'(2). Pre 1908 earthwork descriptions indicate that the mound was oval - 162ft NW- SE x 129ft NE-SE & 9ft high, with a flat top 90ft in diam.The bailey was formed by a ditch 6ft deep in 1908, but as late as 1819 there had been traces of a substantial rampart bank (2). earthwork description in 1908 showed N.part of the mound & ditch & a vague outline of the ditch of the bailey on the NE of the motte(3). Commanded the ancient ford & routes to it (2).1832 - Large portion of mound removed & excavations were carried out by Sibson(5). 1841 - Half of the remainder of the mound was removed.Kendrick carried out area excavation 34yds x 22yds.Circular depression c.1ft deep on top of mound, filled with vegetable debris & decayed animal refuse & pit with ashes & burnt bones.Also a wood-lined well with early Med pot sherds, part of a horse-shoe, a poss Saxon bronze fibula, RB amphora sherds, an earthenware button, lead frags & 2 chess pieces of jet.Latter described as 9th,10th & 12th century, but not much evidence for a pre-Norman date.Above hollow, evidence to suggest stone walling replaced the original wooden palisading. Several massive timber beams found(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11).The chess pieces were used in the Scandinavian game of 'hnefatafl', but this continued to be played during the early Norman period. 1929 - copper boss found in making tennis courts(2). 1971- Excavation on north part of site by D.Hill revealed inner lip of the main defensive ditch, which was of abnormally large proportions.No structural or dating evidence(1). Handle of Roman patera found on site(1).
Excavation has shown that Mote Hill was occupied in the pre-Conquest if not Roman period. It seems likely that the site was the caput of the Warrington hundred in 1066. The Butler family as lords of the manor lived at Mote Hill until the mid 13th century. In 1773 a mote ran all around the mound, though this was water-filled on the south and west sides by 1832 when it seems a considerable portion of the site was investigated. Though the result s have been published (Kendrick 1853,59) the records of this excavation (1841) have yet to be located but probably on the inner or southerly platform rather than the bailey. Kendrick found a well lined with stck staves and a hearth together with massive beams of timber and a small amount of stonework which was believed to represent evidence for a doorway. Evidence of extensive fire was identified in a layer of burnt clay mixed with carbonised wood and vegetable matter, overlying a layer of black material mixed with unburnt bones and pottery. It seems that the burnt layer was overlaid with a boulder pavement from which a coin of Henry III (1216-1272) was recovered. Other finds include Roman pottery, a Saxon(?) knife blade and fibula, 2 chess pieces and iron work. These deposits were overlain by 0.90m of deposits which contained 17th century material believed to date from the use of the site as a Round Head Battery. The mound and ramparts of the site were flattened in 1841 and in the following year a school was erected on the site . The descriptions of the site by Kendrick appear to suggest that Mote Hill was a ringwork rather than a motte and bailey though it might be argued that the banks on the south and west sides suggest a site of earlier date. However, the banks may have been outworks of Civil War date(15).

<1> Grealey S, 1976, The Archaeology of Warrington's Past, /39-40 (Book). SCH3046.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ68NW23/1960 (Index). SCH2487.

<3> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 2/539 1908 (Book). SCH3636.

<4> Chetham Society, Various, Transactions of the Chetham Society, 3/ Beamont W 1882 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3291.

<5> Baines, Edward, 1868-91, The History of The County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Baines E 1836 3/ (Book). SCH1442.

<6> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 5/59-68 Kendrick J 1853 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<7> British Archaeological Association, 1847-present, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 8/162 1853 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1578.

<8> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1845-Present, Archaeological Journal, 9/304 1852 (Journal/Periodical). SCH338.

<9> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1845-Present, Archaeological Journal, 13/ 1856 (Journal/Periodical). SCH338.

<10> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 1/2621906 (Book). SCH3636.

<11> Bu'lock J D, 1973, Pre Norman Cheshire, /62 (Book). SCH2684.

<12> Harrison W, 1896, An Archaeological Survey of Lancashire, /24 (Book). SCH241.

<13> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 3/120 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<14> Warrington Guardian, Warrington Guardian, 25 Feb 1972 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH3683.

<15> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby (Monograph). SCH3778.