Castle Hill
Taken from the narrow, very narrow, dead-end lane to West Chelborough, this week's Sunday Landscape features Castle Hill, East Chelborough.
It dates to the 11th-13th centuries and features a motte and bailey design introduced by the Normans. Whether it was used as a fortification, an aristocratic residence, an administrative centre or a combination of all three is not known.
I can't find any suggestion that there was an earlier hillfort here on top of which the 'castle' was built centuries later. However, I do wonder if that was the case given how many hillforts there are across Dorset.
Castle Hill
Taken from the narrow, very narrow, dead-end lane to West Chelborough, this week's Sunday Landscape features Castle Hill, East Chelborough.
It dates to the 11th-13th centuries and features a motte and bailey design introduced by the Normans. Whether it was used as a fortification, an aristocratic residence, an administrative centre or a combination of all three is not known.
I can't find any suggestion that there was an earlier hillfort here on top of which the 'castle' was built centuries later. However, I do wonder if that was the case given how many hillforts there are across Dorset.