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| Monument Name |
Purleigh Mount |
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| SMR Number |
7711 |
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| Summary |
Moated, flat-topped mound surrounded by ditch with strong counterscarp rampart, except on the north side. |
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| Media |
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| Associated Media |
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| Description |
Moated, flat-topped mound surrounded by ditch with strong counterscarp rampart, except on the north side. Slight indications of two short lengths of rampart extending towards the north. <1> Suggested to be small castle with bailey to the west. <2> Mound, c60m in diameter, c2m high, with surrounding bank. Possibly a causeway to the north. <3> Possibly a small, earthwork castle (could be a windmill mound) comparable to slight adulterine castles. Surveyed in 1981. <4> <5> <6> Removal of a tree from the north-east quadrant of the mound revealed medieval pottery. Site visite showed this came from a shallow trench that could represent a backfilled palisade slot. A rim sherd was found from the mound edge in the north-west quadrant and a sagging base from a mole hill on the west counterscarp. All the pottery was tempered with medium sand and quartz, some mica and black flecks. Two Roman tile fragments, six oyster shells and burnt flint nodules and apparently burnt mudstone fragments were also found. The burning is likely to be recent. The pottery is comparable to, though not precisely paralleled, Mile End material spanning the late C12-mid/late C13. <7> The earliest published theory is that this was a British (ie iron age) earthwork. <8> Later it was suggested to be a Danish or Saxon motte, or a `moot hill'. <9> <10> <11> Suggested to be a motte with attached bailey constructed during the anarchy, 1135-53. Possibly demolished, according to this source, in early C13 after a change of ownership in 1233. This source gives documentary background to the site. <12>
Area = 0.04
Site Assessment = Mound, ditch and bank tree-covered but not fenced so are open to grazing cattle. No threat apparent in 1975 though future tree clearance and ploughing would not be difficult. Central area of platform damaged by air raid shelter/ ammunition store. Bad cattle erosion reported in 1980. Tree removed in 1983. <2> Medieval pottery found at Purleigh "represents the only datable material from the coastal group of small castles in Essex". <7>
The area to the east of the mount was drained and levelled; the top soil removed, earth scraped off at the north and pushed to the south to create a flat area and 4 land drains were added. No features were noted a few sherd sof pottery were found <14> |
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| Monument Type(s) |
MOTTE AND BAILEY (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
DITCH (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
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| Monument Class(es) |
EARTHWORK
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Period
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1066AD to 1539AD Medieval
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| Status |
Not Known |
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| Administration Area |
PURLEIGH, MALDON, ESSEX |
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National Grid Reference
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Square: TL80SW
Ref: 840017 |
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| Finds |
SHELL OYSTER SHELL (Dated 1066AD To 1539AD)
POTTERY VESSEL (Dated 1066AD To 1539AD)
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| Events |
FIELD OBS by Potter, SP, 1983
FIELD OBS by Eddy, MR, 1983
FULL SURVEY by Milton, BH, 1981
Field visit to 7711 by Buckley, DG, CAO on JUL-197
Field visit to 7711 by Paterson, H, FMW on JAN-198
Field visit to 7711 by Paterson, H, FMW on NOV-198
Field visit to 7711 by Chant, K, FMW on OCT-1983
Purleigh Mount Levelling & Drainage
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Sources
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Desc Text : SMR (Priddy, DA?)
Desc Text : Ecclesiae Essexiensis (King, HW) Vol 4, p309 (T-P 196-6) Dated : 1874
Desc Text : Trans Essex Archaeol Soc (Trans Essex Archaeological Soc) Vol 7, pp409-410 Dated : 1900
Desc Text : Essex (unknown) Vol 1, p299 Dated : 1903
Desc Text : Maldon and the River Blackwater (Fitch, EA) Dated : 1905
Desc Text : An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 4 (RCHME) Vol 4, p116 Dated : 1923
Desc Text : Moated mound S. of Purleigh Hall (Buckley, DG) Dated : 1975
Desc Text : SMR (Buckley, DG) Dated : 1975
Desc Text : Purleigh Hall Mound (Milton, BH) Dated : 1981
Mention : Purleigh Hall Mound 1981 (Milton, BH) Dated : 1981
Desc Text : Work of the Essex County Council Archaeology Section, 1981 (Milton, BH in Priddy, DA) Vol 14, p125 Dated : 1982
Desc Text : Purleigh Mound, TL 841017 (TL80-1) (Eddy, MR) Dated : 1983
Desc Text : Purleigh Mount - an Explanation (Potter, SP) Dated : 1983
Scheduling record : DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments (Department of the Environment) Part 4 Dated : 1985
Desc Text : Purleugh Mount Levelling & Drainage Operations (unknown) Dated : 1988
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