Hales Castle, Selwood

In the civil parish of Selwood.
In the historic county of Somerset (Modern Authority of Somerset, 1974 county of Somerset).

Ringwork on the lower end of a gently sloping spur. Roughly circular enclosing 0.11 ha within univallate earthworks. The defences are greatest on the upper and lower stretches, relying more on the natural slopes along the sides. They consist of a bank 0.3-1.2m high, a ditch below 0.2 - 1.6m deep (the ramparts overall being 1.6-2.6m high) and a slight counterscarp. The bank and counterscarp have flattened tops. The interior is naturally higher than the surrounding land except on the uphill side. The entrance on the NW from downhill consists of a slight causeway and a gap in the bank. Just inside this to one side is a hollow with a spoil mound, perhaps the site of a well. Outside the ringwork is a system of field banks, scarps and ditches 0.1-0.4m high or deep. Possible unfished bailey to north.

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 ST79764424

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; 202864

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 24461

• Web site links
  • http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=24461
• Books
  • Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p68-109
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2
    Burrow, Edward J., 1924, Ancient Earthworks and Camps of Somerset (Cheltenham and London) p108
    Bothamley, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Somerset Vol2 p508-9
• Journal Articles
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127