Portingbury Hills

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Beggarshall Coppice

In the civil parish of Hatfield Broad Oak.
In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Essex, 1974 county of Essex).

King records as a possible castle a 'low squarish mound'. Consists of 3 main elements- a mound and ditch, a near rectangular enclosure with surrounding ditch and probably an external bank, the two being connected by a causeway formed by a pair of near parallel ditches. The first element appears to be iron age in date (see 4583). No dating evidence has been found for the enclosure or the causeway. Finds in excavations included: animal bone, calcined flint, charcoal, a small flint blade 4cm long, retouched along one edge. Isolated from settlement. Seems to be generally accepted as Iron age on very slight dating evidence, would be a very unusual form for a medieval castle but some form of 'hunting lodge' must remain an outside possibility.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL53222040

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; 373553

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 4583, 4584

Books

King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p148
RCHME, 1921, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Vol2 [central and south-west] p122
Wright, T., 1834, History and Topography of the County of Essex Vol2 p324
Salmon, N., 1740, The History and Antiquities of Essex p91

Journal Articles

Wilkinson, P., 1978, 'Portingbury Hills or Rings' Essex Archaeological Society transactions Vol10 p221-4 [excavation report]
Huggins, P.J., 1978, 'Pappus and Pontingbury' Essex Archaeological Society transactions Vol10 p225-6

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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