Botelers Castle, Oversley

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Arrow Motte

In the civil parish of Alcester.
In the historic county of Warwickshire (Modern Authority of Warwickshire, 1974 county of Warwickshire).

In 1086 Fulk held the manor of Oversley, but it later passed to Ralph de Boteler, who probably built a castle there making it his principal seat. A steep knoll overlooking the river Arrow is still known locally as 'Boteler's castle'. No sign of buildings on the obvious knoll at Boteler's castle. In the summer of 1934 Mr BW Davis trenched the top and sides of the hill. He discovered a considerable amount of pottery, roofing tiles, slates, but little stone and absolutely no trace of foundations. This suggests that the castle was timber and that no motte was formed as the natural escarpment was deemed sufficient. The ruins seen by Dugdale were probably of a later stone building. A rectangular castle mound in a commanding position with a ditch to the S. There are no indications of a building but coarse Medieval pottery was found over a wide area. The site has been under plough for many years and the mound is spread. There are two parallel banks. These appear to have been outworks of the castle forming two unusual baileys. Excavations in 1992 and 1993 revealed the existence of an attached ditched enclosure possibly a village defence and/or outer bailey. (qv)

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 SP08375588

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; 328453

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 543

• Web site links
  • http://timetrail.warwickshire.gov.uk/detail.aspx?monuid=WA543
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 1993, Midlands Castles (Birmingham) p65
    Salter, Mike, 1992, Castles and Moated Mansions of Warwickshire (Malvern) p14
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p485
    Salzman, L.F. (ed), 1945, VCH Warwickshire Vol3 p29
    Stenton, 1932, First Century of English Feudalism (Oxford) p195-6
    Dugdale, William (2edn rev by Wm Thomas), 1730, The Antiquities of Warwickshire (London) p354
• Journal Articles
  • Jones, C., Eyre-Morgan, G., Palmer, S. and Palmer, N., 1997, 'Excavations in the outer enclosure of Boteler's Castle, Oversley, Alcester, 1992-3' Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society Vol101 p1-98
    Chatwin, P.B., 1947-8, 'Castles in Warwickshire' Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society Vol67 p17-18
    Chatwin, P.B., 1936, Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society Vol60 p145-6