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Ascott Earl motte and bailey is a Norman fortification situated in Oxfordshire, England, dating to the medieval period following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The castle comprises a substantial earthwork consisting of a mound or motte with an associated bailey or enclosed courtyard, representing the characteristic defensive architecture of early Norman settlement and control in England. Such motte and bailey castles were typically constructed rapidly using timber and earth rather than stone, serving as administrative and military centres for Norman lords establishing their authority over newly conquered territories. The site remains an important archaeological monument of the Norman period and demonstrates the settlement patterns and military strategy employed during the consolidation of Norman rule in the English Midlands.
Ascott Earl motte and bailey castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1016562. View the official record →
Ascott Earl motte and bailey is a Norman fortification situated in Oxfordshire, England, dating to the medieval period following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1016562.
Ascott Earl motte and bailey castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1016562.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Earthwork at Lowbarrow Farm (4.4 km), Long barrow situated in Southlawn Plain Woods (4.6 km), Pair of Bronze Age bowl barrows 150m north of Roustage Wood (4.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Ascott Earl motte and bailey castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Ascott Earl motte and bailey castle stands on Lias Group, bedrock that formed in the Aalenian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone.