Site of Possible Castle on Temple Hill near Stratford upon-Avon.

Description of this historic site

The remains of a possible Medieval castle survive as earthworks. Documentary evidence and finds at the site support the theory that there was once a castle here. The location is on Temple Hill, south of the Welcombe Hotel.

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Notes about this historic site

1 Details of a manorial history exist.
2 Temple Hill is a large isolated mainly natural mound, with a flattened top and a spiral path up to it. In its present form it is obviously a landscape feature connected with the 1869 Welcombe mansion; but it is an ideal motte (though the landscaping has destroyed any definite evidence) and its actually being such is borne out by the fact that – 1. its traditional name is ‘Castle Hill, 2. Welcombe Estate was the chief manor of Old Stratford in surveys of c1182 and 1252,
3 finds on the mound (PRN 1016).
4Lidar imagery does not conclusively prove the case for a castle either way. However, if it were a castle there are subtle earthworks on the north-east side of the ‘motte’ which could be interpreted as a small bailey.