Purleigh Mount

In the civil parish of Purleigh.
In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Essex, 1974 county of Essex).

Moated, flat-topped mound surrounded by ditch with strong counterscarp rampart, except on the north side. Slight indications of two short lengths of rampart extending towards the north. Suggested to be small castle with bailey to the west. Mound, c60m in diameter, c2m high, with surrounding bank. Possibly a causeway to the north. Surveyed in 1981. Removal of a tree from the north-east quadrant of the mound revealed medieval pottery. Site visit showed this came from a shallow trench that could represent a backfilled palisade slot. A rim sherd was found from the mound edge in the north-west quadrant and a sagging base from a mole hill on the west counterscarp. All the pottery was tempered with medium sand and quartz, some mica and black flecks. Two Roman tile fragments, six oyster shells and burnt flint nodules and apparently burnt mudstone fragments were also found. The burning is likely to be recent. The pottery is comparable to, though not precisely paralleled, Mile End material spanning the late C12-mid/late C13. The earliest published theory is that this was a British (ie iron age) earthwork.Later it was suggested to be a Danish or Saxon motte, or a `moot hill'. Suggested to be a motte with attached bailey constructed during the anarchy, 1135-53. Possibly demolished in early C13 after a change of ownership in 1233.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL84080171

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 380934

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 7711