Chartley Castle, Chartley Old Hall and associated water control systems including garden remains

Heritage listing

Details The monument is situated approximately 1km north west of the village of Stowe-by-Chartley and has two separate areas. It includes the standing and buried remains of Chartley Castle and the moated site of Chartley Old Hall with its associated garden earthworks. The monument also includes parts of an associated water management system, the earthwork remains of two watermills, a trackway, a hollow way and an area of ridge and furrow cultivation. Chartley Castle is situated in a commanding position on the natural escarpment of a small ridge running east to west. It is primarily a motte and double bailey castle which was altered in the early 13th century to form an enclosure castle, the standing remains of which are Listed Grade II* and included in the scheduling. The castle is surrounded and strengthened by a dry ditch which measures up to 18m wide, beyond which, is a counterscarp bank. The motte is located at the western end of the castle and, although on a natural high point, it has been artificially raised. It has a diameter of 46m at its base and is separated from the bailey by a 10m wide ditch. The bailey to the east is divided into inner and outer enclosures by a ditch which measures approximately 24m wide. The two enclosures vary both in size and form. The inner contains an area of 0.25ha and is rectangular in plan while the outer bailey measures 60m square, an area of approximately 0.35ha. Access to the motte and bailey is currently by means of a causeway at the south eastern edge of the outer bailey which may mark the site of the original entrance. Access to the inner bailey was originally through a gatehouse, with two drum towers, on its eastern side. In the early 13th century a stone keep and a curtain wall with projecting towers, all built of ashlar with

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.