Autumn Equinox 2010
Pilsbury Castle, Derbyshire
I can't believe it is Mabon (autumnal equinox) time again already. I ventured out just after Hartington in Derbyshire on a gated road to Pilsbury, after that I walked along a public footpath to the site of Pilsbury Castle.
Pilsbury itself is a shrunken village which dates back at least to Anglo-Saxon times. At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, it was part of the Manor of Pilsbury and Ludwell. The site of the monastic grange at Pilsbury is likely to have been here in the sheltered spot overlooking the river. The large present-day houses can be traced to the late 17th/early 18th century.
I braved an onslaught of sheep, having strayed into a field off the public footpath. As I opened the gate a lot of sheep came from all over the field to 'attack' me! They weren't afraid either, so I legged it to the next field.
Eventually I arrived at the site. I could sense how things would have been over a thousand years before, and probably even before that. My theory didn't fit with the 'description board'. But I felt that the separate mound was in fact a burial mound and the round castle with its keep was right next to it.
Pilsbury Castle is an 11th century earthwork motte and baileys fortress, founded by Henry de Ferrers. The large flat-topped motte, is encased by a wide ditch and the eastern bailey, is defended by a steepsided limestone reef, which is crowned by an unusual high outcrop and the foundations of a narrow, rubble wall. The southern bailey which has been damaged by ploughing, is defended by a low encasing rampart and ditch.Standing against the flood plain of the River Dove, the castle had probably been abandoned, by the end of the 12th century.
Excellent site, I really enjoyed a warm and sunny autumn day and performed a lot of analysis with my pendulum that I will do more research on the results, but they seemed very interesting.
Dave
Pilsbury itself is a shrunken village which dates back at least to Anglo-Saxon times. At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, it was part of the Manor of Pilsbury and Ludwell. The site of the monastic grange at Pilsbury is likely to have been here in the sheltered spot overlooking the river. The large present-day houses can be traced to the late 17th/early 18th century.
I braved an onslaught of sheep, having strayed into a field off the public footpath. As I opened the gate a lot of sheep came from all over the field to 'attack' me! They weren't afraid either, so I legged it to the next field.
Eventually I arrived at the site. I could sense how things would have been over a thousand years before, and probably even before that. My theory didn't fit with the 'description board'. But I felt that the separate mound was in fact a burial mound and the round castle with its keep was right next to it.
Pilsbury Castle is an 11th century earthwork motte and baileys fortress, founded by Henry de Ferrers. The large flat-topped motte, is encased by a wide ditch and the eastern bailey, is defended by a steepsided limestone reef, which is crowned by an unusual high outcrop and the foundations of a narrow, rubble wall. The southern bailey which has been damaged by ploughing, is defended by a low encasing rampart and ditch.Standing against the flood plain of the River Dove, the castle had probably been abandoned, by the end of the 12th century.
Excellent site, I really enjoyed a warm and sunny autumn day and performed a lot of analysis with my pendulum that I will do more research on the results, but they seemed very interesting.
Dave
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