The Gatehouse website record for Hamstead Marshall 1 ('siege' castle)

In the civil parish of Hamstead Marshall. In the historic county of Berkshire (Modern Authority of West Berkshire, 1974 county of Berkshire).

The site comprises an unfinished motte with no trace of a bailey. The mound, which is circular in plan stands to a maximum height of 7m above the ditch bottom on the finished NW side. It declines in height southwards and on the SE and E there is no mound as such only the marking out bank for its base. The incomplete, oval enclosure, 70m by 60m, defined by 1 ditch was centred at SU 4299 6661. (PastScape)
Within the park of Hampstead. The location to me is clearly that of a hunting lodge (or even a viewing platform associated with hunting) and not of a siege castle as it is sometimes described, but there is some evidence that Hamstead Marshall Conquest castle (qv) was besieged in 1152 so such a suggestion can not be entirely dismissed.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU42996661

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 233218
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.

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.

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