Seckington Motte

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

Perfect little earthwork of the moated mount and court type (eg motte and bailey) in an excellent high position. The mound is conical: 9 M high, 43/46 M diam at base and 15.2 M diam at top. Encircling the mound is a ditch 9 M wide and 3.5 M deep. A courtyard lies to the S and SE defended by a ditch with a rampart on the inner side. rampart and ditch increase in size towards the mount itself. An entrance at SE is possibly original. To the N and E traces of a long rampart and ditch can be seen with water in part of the latter. No sign of masonry; the site therefore probably fell early into disuse. Constructed early C11 by Earl of Mellant or his son Robert Earl of Leicester. Remains of a ramp on SW facing slope of the motte. Slight infill at W junction of motte ditch and bailey ditch.

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 SK25920753

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; 309792

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 167

• Web site links
  • http://timetrail.warwickshire.gov.uk/detail.aspx?monuid=WA167
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_midlands/140/seckingtoncastle.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p261
    Salter, Mike, 1993, Midlands Castles (Birmingham) p67
    Bond E., 1993, A Survey of the Parish of Seckington
    Salter, Mike, 1992, Castles and Moated Mansions of Warwickshire (Malvern) p43
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p484
    Salzman, L.F. (ed), 1947, VCH Warwickshire Vol4 p198
    Willoughby Gardner, 1904, in Doubleday, H.A. and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Warwickshire Vol1 p390-2
• Journal Articles
  • Chatwin, P.B., 1947-8, 'Castles in Warwickshire' Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society Vol67 p7-8
    Clark G.T., 1882, Archaeological Journal Vol39 p372-5
    Burgess, 1872, Birmingham and Midlands Institute Archaeology Section p88 and plate
• Other sources and unpublished works (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Baker, H.D., 1987, Warwickshire Monument Evaluation and Presentation Project