Newcastle Crugyn

in the civil parish of Clun, Shropshire, England
SO24398206

The remains of C11 or C12 motte at 'The Crugyn'. The mound has a base diameter of 42m north west to south east by 35m transversely. The motte is about 20m in diameter with a flat summit 7m by 5m in diameter. The mound is 3.5m high. There are no traces of a bailey. The mound is in the valley bottom and it appears to me to be heavily erroded (possibly the valley floods regularly). Much of the base diameter of the mound given is clearly erosion slippage and the mound would originally have been smaller in diameter but a taller and more steeply sided mound than it currently is. The mound is surrounded by a 20m band of firm but lush ground which may represent a silted up ditch. There is a badger sett in mound and the erosion is ongoing.

The valley in which the motte is set is a route from Wales. The castle is suggested as a possible site for Matefelun recorded in 1195 when William de Boterell was granted 10 marks to help pay to fortify his house there.

Presumably this small motte was an outwork for Clun Castle. Whilst it would have been big enough for a small wooden tower I doubt it can have had much residential use. However, it can not have been a purely military structure since a small iron age hill fort is on a nearby hill and a reuse of this site would be the obvious military action. The motte is set in the plough land and presumably had some function in control and management of this land. I would expect that the local knight will have built the motte as a symbolic representation of his status and as a possible retreat but would have had his undefended hall nearby. This knight will have owed castle service to Clun Castle.

The castle is easily viewable from the road and accessible. Presumably because of it's damaged state it is not a Scheduled Monument.

Photo's taken 5 March 2006

References

Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern).

Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries).

King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum Vol2 (London: Kraus).

Page, Wm. (ed), 1908, VCH Shropshire Vol1.

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