The Gatehouse website record for Downton on the Rock; The Tump

In the civil parish of Downton. In the historic county of Herefordshire (Modern Authority of Herefordshire, 1974 county of Hereford and Worcester).

Small motte with a base diameter of 23m and an average height of 3.5m, and is largely composed of stone rubble, which may be debris of stone tower. Around the west uphill side, is a slight ditch, 7m wide and up to 0.5m deep. Octagonal tower, signs of bailey & outer enclosures. It seems that Lords of Richards Castle, prob Mortimers, built here smaller version of their great octagonal keep at Richards Castle with addition of some sort of forebuilding on it, on ground level of very low motte. A stream, bordering site has been dammed to form 1 side of defences. Corner of outer enclosure has large masonry buried in tree roots. 2 old wells on site which has seen lot of activity in past making it difficult to read.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO427734

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 108821
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 1645 '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.

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