What is recorded here

Half a century after the Norman conquest, men piled river clay into a sharp-topped mound above the Cuckney valley and drove oak stakes through the wet ground. The bailey stretched beside it like a shallow bowl, large enough for horses, weapons, kitchens and the keeper’s family. A knight may have stood on that mound at dusk, watching shadow cross the water while dogs moved restlessly in the yards below.

The National Heritage List for England records Cuckney motte and bailey castle as a scheduled monument. The saved point comes from the centre supplied by the official record. Listing does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.

Built in the late 11th or early 12th century, likely by a Norman lord following the conquest of 1066, Cuckney motte and bailey castle is important as a typical example of early medieval military architecture in England and as evidence of Norman settlement and control in the region.

The historic-place record does not grant public access. Check current conditions and ownership before entering land or a building.