The Gatehouse website record for Worton Motte

In the civil parish of Worton. In the historic county of Oxfordshire (Modern Authority of Oxfordshire, 1974 county of Oxfordshire).

Possibly the small mound of a motte and bailey 20m in diameter and 2m high. It was formerly thought to be a round barrow. By Church.
The site occupies a hill with gentle slopes to the N and E and a steeper slope to the W. The monument includes a flat topped conical mound made of earth and stone. The mound measures 18m in diameter and stands up to 2m high. Surrounding the mound is a quarry ditch from which material was obtained during its construction. This has become partially infilled over time but remains visible at ground level as a shallow feature 2m wide and c.0.3m deep. The ditch has become obscured by leaf litter on the E side of the mound but will survive as a buried feature. The barrow and the nearby church lie at the centre of an extensive medieval field system, much of which is visible as earthworks OS field investigation 5/5/72 suggests that this is the mound of a small motte and bailey castle with the church now standing in the bailey. Over Worton church occupies the remains of a circular platform on the spine of a steep ridge. Contiguous to the NW is s circular mound OS field investigation suggests that this is the mound of a small motte and bailey castle with the church now standing in the bailey. Over Worton church occupies the remains of a circular platform on the spine of a steep ridge. Contiguous to the NW is a circular mound 17m in diameter and 2m high. Mound is overgrown. Round barrow close to church. Diameter 60' (80m) height 6' (1.75m). C.20m diameter and 2m high. (Oxfordshire HER)
The Oxfordshire HER online record has a summary which calls this a 'hlaew', an Anglo-Saxon burial mound. The situation of the mound, by the church, is suggestive of a motte but the air photo shows ridge and furrow right up to mound with no room for a manorial complex.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SP43012924

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 336863
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 2287 '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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