Great Driffield Moat Hill

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Moot Hill

In the civil parish of Driffield. In the historic county of Yorkshire East Riding (Modern Authority of East Riding of Yorkshire, 1974 county of Humberside).

Norman Motte on the site with evidence of C4 occupation might, therefore, have utilised an already existing mound and enlarged it. Excavations carried out in 1975 revealed a Norman castle with several phases of bridge building across the motte ditch. There might be evidence for a building date of the castle of 1071, about the time of Mortcar's rebellion. The castle was then abandoned for some time then re-fortified in C13. Earlier excavations have revealed Saxon relics also indicating that the site was of some importance for many centuries. The mound had been originally much larger, both in diameter and height, before part of it was removed during gravel quarrying operations in 1856-8. Site of a royal residence of some importance in early C13; nearly £600 spent on works here 1210-12.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TA02365827

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 79299
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_north/107/driffieldcastle.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Yorkshire (Malvern) p37
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p285 [slight]
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p355
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p517
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p222
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p923-4
    Armitage and Montgomerie, 1912, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH York Vol2 p45
• Journal Articles
  • Eddy, M.R., 1983, ‘A Roman settlement and early medieval motte at Moot Hill, Great Driffield, North Humberside' East Riding Archaeologist Vol7 p40–51
    Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1976, ‘Medieval Britain in 1975' Medieval Archaeology Vol20 p184 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]