Rockhall Mote
Motte And Bailey (Medieval)
Site Name Rockhall Mote
Classification Motte And Bailey (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Rockhall Motte; South Carthat; Rockhallhead
Canmore ID 66104
Site Number NY07NE 1
NGR NY 05462 76663
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/66104
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Lochmaben
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Annandale And Eskdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
NY07NE 1 0546 7665
(NY 0546 7665) Rockhall Mote (NR)
OS 6" map (1957).
See NY07NE 2 for medieval or earlier village and site of chapel.
Norman motte, 15 to 20ft high, the summit some 26 by 20 ft in diameter and the base surrounded by a trench, 20 to 22ft wide and 4 to 5ft deep, cut through rock. Beyond the trench towards the NE is a base-court about 65 by 60ft, and a hollow along the E and N sides may indicate a trench. A long hollow along the E side of the base-court leading inward from the N was perhaps the approach to the motte. There is a traverse across the trench on the SE, 2ft above the adjacent floor and 3 ft below the crest of the counterscarp.
Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc 1919; RCAHMS 1920.
Generally as described by RCAHM. The trench round the base of the motte is somewhat less than previously described. It has an average width of c4.0m and is c1.0m deep.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 16 June 1966.
No change.
Visited by OS (DWR) 21 February 1973.
Scheduled as 'Rockhall Mote, motte-and-bailey castle...'
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 28 January 2010.
Measured Survey (14 April 1994)
RCAHMS surveyed the motte and bailey at Rockhall on 14 April 1994 with plane-table and self-reducing alidade at a scale of 1:500. The plan was redrawn in ink and published at a scale of 1:2500 (RCAHMS 1997, Fig. 202).
Note (1997)
NY 0546 7665 NY07NE 1
Listed as motte-and-bailey.
RCAHMS 1997.