|
|
| Monument Name |
Rayleigh Castle |
|
| SMR Number |
13586 |
|
| Summary |
Motte and bailey situated in a commanding position on a spur overlooking the Crouch valley. |
|
| Media |
|
|
| Associated Media |
|
|
| Description |
Motte and bailey situated in a commanding position on a spur overlooking the Crouch valley. Apparently built end of C11 by Suene (Sweyn), son of Robert Fitz-Wimarc. No masonry survives above ground. Plan consists of a strong keep-mound with a bailey to the E, and a possible outer bailey on the same side. Both the mound and the inner bailey are surrounded by a deep dry ditch, with a strong outer bank with traces of an external ditch on the N and W. A scarp drooping into gardens to the E and traces of ditches at the SE corner may represent the outer bailey. The natural contours of the ground contribute to the defences of the castle. The approach to the mound is by a causeway on the S side, and the entrance to the inner bailey appears to have been through the rampart on the N. The moun is 50ft high above the ditch on the NW side, and the inner bailey is 260ft by 150ft. <1> Documentary evidence indicates that the castle site was occupied from c.1070 to the mid C14, with intensive occupation during the first 100 years, followed by intermittent development, and another period of intensive occupation late C13 and possibly early C14. No record has been found for a deliberate destruction of the castle. Excavation took place in 1820 and 1840. In the early C20, the then owner, Mr EB Francis excavated the site and concluded that there were 2 phases to the building of the castle. Excavations in 1959 to 1961 established that there were 6 periods, the first 3 (A, B, C) being associated with the defended settlement. Period A, c.1070 - c.1135, saw the initial construction of the motte. Period B, c.1135 - c.11163, saw the completion of the castle's defences. Period C, c.1163 - c.1270, saw further developments of the defences, until the castle was close to the present plan. Period D, from c.1270, showed evidence for raising part of the bailey, a cobbled surface, hearths, timber- frame buildings, post holes, and associated clay foundations. Period E, up to c.1350, showed a complete redevelopment of the bailey. There is no destruction layer at the end of this period. The site was then left vacant for a considerable time. Finds included arrowheads, horseshoes, pottery, bronze fittings, iron nails and fittings, worked bone, stone mortar lug, animal and fish bone, and coins of Stephen Type I, c.1135- 1141, possibly from a buried hoard. <2> Other refs: <3> - <9>
Site Assessment = The work is of special interest as a strong and well-preserved example of its kind. <1>
The Castle
Francis’s excavations in 1909-10 showed two main phases of castle development, that is the Domesday Castle and the late 12th century re-modelling. This phasing was confirmed by the Helliwell and MacLeod excavations of the 1950s and ‘60s.
The Domesday castle
The Domesday castle built by Swein has largely been obscured by the 12th century building phase. However some parts of it have been revealed by excavation. It appears that a natural spur of land was cut off by a deep ditch with a berm or flat ledge and a palisade on its western side. The spoil from the ditch was heaped at the end of the spur to form a mound. On the eastern side of the ditch and mound was a timber structure, interpreted as a gate (Francis 1913). This structure stood on the original ground surface, now 3.6m below the current ground surface. One of the timbers from the gate is preserved in Southend Museum, and has a notched lap joint of a type that went out of use in the 13th century. To the north of the gate was what Francis described as kitchen areas and hut sites dating to the 11th and 12th centuries.
The 12th-14th century castle
In the 12th-13th century the castle was completely re-modelled, but its internal features were then dismantled in the late 13th and 14th centuries. The main components of the 12th-14th century castle are described below.
The motte (TQ 8049 9095)
The big Domesday ditch was recut, and there were minor adjustments to the palisade and berm. The motte was increased in height and its slope faced with stone rubble in about 1140. There is no evidence that there was ever a stone keep on the top, although there was possibly a temporary wooden structure. The excavators (Francis, 1913) have suggested that perhaps these building works by Henry de Essex were not finished due to his dispossession.
The inner bailey (TQ 8054 9091)
In about 1140-1160 the ditch encircling the inner bailey and motte was dug and a rampart with a palisade on its inner edge constructed. In about 1180 a second palisade was added to the western side of the rampart. The bailey measured 72m by 45m, and appears to have had an entrance on the north side, presumably leading out on to London Hill. The kitchen area and hut sites in the north-west corner of the inner bailey continued in use for about another 100 years.
In the late 13th century the ground level of the inner bailey was raised by up to 2m, approximately the same height as the rampart. On this new surface various buildings were erected, in the north-west corner these included a central hall and a number of outbuildings. In the eastern side of the bailey a layer of cobbles was placed over the partially buried rampart. In the north-east corner of the inner bailey were at least two large rectangular timber-framed buildings with chalk floors, kitchen areas and a smithy. Some of these buildings remained in use into the 14th century, long after the castle had lost its defensive role.
The outer bailey (TQ 8062 9088)
The outer bailey was located on the eastern side of the inner bailey and is also 12th century in origin. Parts of the outer bailey ditch were still visible in the back gardens of the houses fronting Bellingham Lane and in the area that is now the car-park next to Mill Hall at the beginning of the 20th century. Excavations in 1983 and 1985 on the Regal Cinema site and a watching-brief at 23 Bellingham Lane in 1997 confirmed its position parallel to Bellingham Lane. There was evidence that it was re-used as a property boundary in the 15th or 16th centuries. Excavation in 1969 in the area between the mill and the outer bailey ditch revealed layers of gravelling, a clay platform and timber foundations, possibly from a bridge crossing from the outer bailey to the inner bailey (Helliwell and MacLeod, 1981). <11>
The Castle (TQ 8049 9095)
The excavations in 1969 showed that both the inner and outer baileys were reoccupied in the 17th century. Traces of several timber-framed buildings with clay floors and a farm-yard were recovered, along with evidence for more recent occupation. In the northern part of the outer bailey, near the mill, Helliwell and MacLeod (1981) found over a metre of deliberate build-up which they attributed to the Second World War effort, presumably on the basis of information from local people. <11>
Photo ref. <12>
Further archaeological interpretation of Rayleigh Mount is given in source <13> which presents a Conservation Plan. |
|
| Monument Type(s) |
COBBLED SURFACE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
CASTLE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
MOTTE AND BAILEY (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
PALISADE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
BUILDING (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
HEARTH (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
POST HOLE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
|
|
| Monument Class(es) |
EARTHWORK
SUB SURFACE DEPOSIT
|
|
|
Period
|
1066AD to 1539AD Medieval
|
|
| Status |
Not Known |
|
| Administration Area |
RAYLEIGH, ROCHFORD, ESSEX |
|
|
National Grid Reference
|
Square: TQ89SW
Ref: 805909 |
|
| Finds |
POTTERY VESSEL (Dated 1066AD To 1539AD)
|
|
| Events |
PART EXCAV by Frances, EB,
PART EXCAV by Helliwell, L & Macleod, DG,
|
|
|
Sources
|
<1> Desc Text : An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 4 (RCHME) Vol 4, pp.123-4 Dated : 1923
<11> Desc Text : Rayleigh Historic Town Assessment Report (Medlycott, Maria) Dated : 1999
<12> Desc Text : Rayleigh Mount Conservation Plan: Understanding The Site (Essex County Council) Dated : 2005
<12> Photograph : Rayleigh Castle Site Monotoring (Wallis, S)
<2> Excavation report : Rayleigh Castle (Helliwell, L and Macleod, DG) Dated : 1981
<3> Desc Text : Origins of Rayleigh (Wallis, S) pp.5-7 Dated : 1993
<4> Desc Text : TQ89-002 (Priddy, DA)
<5> GUIDE BOOK : Rayleigh Mount (Helliwell, L and Macleod, DG) Dated : 1965
<6> GUIDE BOOK : Rayleigh Mount (Voss, WA) Dated : 1951
<7> Desc Text : Historic Towns in Essex: An Archaeological Survey (Eddy, MR with Petchey, MR) pp.74-8 Dated : 1983
<8> Desc Text : Rayleigh Mount (Lewis, P)
<9> Desc Text : Rayleigh Mount Management Plan (Griffiths, PB) Dated : 1985
|
| View on Map |
|
