Late 11th-14th century motte and bailey castle, 'Rayleigh Castle' (or 'Rayleigh Mount'), Rayleigh (EHER 13586)

A medieval castle of motte and bailey construction, possibly on the site of an earlier fortification. Roman brick fragments and an Anglo-Saxon brooch have been found.

Motte and bailey situated in a commanding position on a spur overlooking the Crouch valley. Apparently built at the end of the 11th century by Suene (Sweyn), son of Robert Fitz-Wimarc. No masonry survives above ground. Plan consists of a strong keep-mound with a bailey to the east, and a possible outer bailey on the same side. Both the mound and the inner bailey are surrounded by a deep dry ditch, with a strong outer bank with traces of an external ditch on the north and west. A scarp drooping into gardens to the east and traces of ditches at the south-east corner may represent the outer bailey. The natural contours of the ground contribute to the defences of the castle. The approach to the mound is by a causeway on the south side, and the entrance to the inner bailey appears to have been through the rampart on the north. The mound is 50ft high above the ditch on the north-west side, and the inner bailey is 260ft by 150ft. <1> Documentary evidence indicates that the castle site was occupied from approximately 1070 to the mid 14th century, with intensive occupation during the first 100 years, followed by intermittent development, and another period of intensive occupation in the late 13th century and possibly early 14th century. No record has been found for a deliberate destruction of the castle. Excavation took place in 1820 and 1840. In the early 20th century, the then owner, Mr EB Francis excavated the site and concluded that there were two phases to the building of the castle. Excavations in 1959 to 1961 established that there were six periods (labelled A-G), the first three (A, B, C) being associated with the defended settlement. Period A, from approximately 1070 - approximately 1135, saw the initial construction of the motte. Period B, around 1135 - around 1163, saw the completion of the castle's defences. Period C, from around 1163 - around 1270, saw further developments of the defences, until the castle was close to the present plan. Period D, from around 1270, showed evidence for raising part of the bailey, a cobbled surface, hearths, timber-frame buildings, post holes, and associated clay foundations. Period E, up to approximately 1350, showed a complete redevelopment of the bailey. There is no destruction layer at the end of this period. The site was then left vacant for a considerable time. Finds included arrowheads, horseshoes, pottery, bronze fittings, iron nails and fittings, worked bone, stone mortar lug, animal and fish bone, and coins of Stephen Type I, approximately 1135-1141, possibly from a buried hoard. <2> - <9> The site was subsequently reoccupied in the 17th century, see EHER 13587. The Castle. Francis’s excavations in 1909-1910 showed two main phases of castle development, that is the 'Domesday Castle' and the late 12th century re-modelling. This phasing was confirmed by the Helliwell and MacLeod excavations of the 1950s and 1960s. The Domesday Castle. The Domesday Castle built by Swein has largely been obscured by the 12th century building phase. However some parts of it have been revealed by excavation. It appears that a natural spur of land was cut off by a deep ditch with a berm or flat ledge and a palisade on its western side. The spoil from the ditch was heaped at the end of the spur to form a mound. On the eastern side of the ditch and mound was a timber structure, interpreted as a gate. This structure stood on the original ground surface, now 3.6m below the current ground surface. One of the timbers from the gate is preserved in Southend Museum, and has a notched lap joint of a type that went out of use in the 13th century. To the north of the gate was what Francis described as kitchen areas and hut sites dating to the 11th and 12th centuries. The 12th-14th century castle. In the 12th-13th century the castle was completely re-modelled, but its internal features were then dismantled in the late 13th and 14th centuries. The main components of the 12th-14th century castle are described below. The motte (TQ 8049 9095). The big Domesday ditch was recut, and there were minor adjustments to the palisade and berm. The motte was increased in height and its slope faced with stone rubble in about 1140. There is no evidence that there was ever a stone keep on the top, although there was possibly a temporary wooden structure. The excavators (Francis, 1913) have suggested that perhaps these building works by Henry de Essex were not finished due to his dispossession. The inner bailey (TQ 8054 9091). In about 1140-1160 the ditch encircling the inner bailey and motte was dug and a rampart with a palisade on its inner edge constructed. In about 1180 a second palisade was added to the western side of the rampart. The bailey measured 72m by 45m, and appears to have had an entrance on the north side, presumably leading out on to London Hill. The kitchen area and hut sites in the north-west corner of the inner bailey continued in use for about another 100 years. In the late 13th century the ground level of the inner bailey was raised by up to 2m, approximately the same height as the rampart. On this new surface various buildings were erected, in the north-west corner these included a central hall and a number of outbuildings. In the eastern side of the bailey a layer of cobbles was placed over the partially buried rampart. In the north-east corner of the inner bailey were at least two large rectangular timber-framed buildings with chalk floors, kitchen areas and a smithy. Some of these buildings remained in use into the 14th century, long after the castle had lost its defensive role. The outer bailey (TQ 8062 9088). The outer bailey was located on the eastern side of the inner bailey and is also 12th century in origin. Parts of the outer bailey ditch were still visible in the back gardens of the houses fronting Bellingham Lane and in the area that is now the car-park next to Mill Hall at the beginning of the 20th century. Excavations in 1983 and 1985 on the Regal Cinema site and a watching brief at 23 Bellingham Lane in 1997 confirmed its position parallel to Bellingham Lane (see EHER 13376 and EHER 82549). There was evidence that it was re-used as a property boundary in the 15th or 16th centuries (EHER 16329). Excavation in 1969 in the area between the mill and the outer bailey ditch revealed layers of gravelling, a clay platform and timber foundations, possibly from a bridge crossing from the outer bailey to the inner bailey (Helliwell and MacLeod, 1981). The Castle (TQ 8049 9095). The excavations in 1969 showed that both the inner and outer baileys were reoccupied in the 17th century. Traces of several timber-framed buildings with clay floors and a farm-yard were recovered, along with evidence for more recent occupation. In the northern part of the outer bailey, near the mill, Helliwell and MacLeod (1981) found over a metre of deliberate build-up which they attributed to the Second World War effort, presumably on the basis of information from local people. <10> See photo <11>. Further archaeological interpretation of Rayleigh Mount is given in sources <12> and <13>which presents a Conservation Plan. See also <14>. Site Assessment: The work is of special interest as a strong and well-preserved example of its kind. <1> 1924. Scheduled Ancient Monument. Identical with that built about the end of the 11th century by Svene, son of Robert Fitz-Wimarc. Fallen into disuse in the 13th century and ruinous in the 14th. No masonry now stands above ground. Earthworks include motte, inner fosse, inner bailey with moat and rampart surrounding the whole. Outer bailey under town. <15> NRHE data transfer: (TQ 805909) Rayleigh Castle (NR). <16> Rayleigh Castle was built shortly after the conquest on what is suggested to be an earlier fortification. <17> It became ruinous in the 13th century and remains now consist of a 50ft high motte, the north-east slope of which has been revetted with masonry, an inner bailey containing building foundations and surrounded by the footings of a curtain wall, and traces of an outer bailey partly destroyed by modern development. All the foundations and masonry were uncovered during excavations in 1909-1910 and 1959-1961. Many small objects of Medieval period were found as well as Roman brick fragments and an Anglo-Saxon brooch. Scheduled 39. <6> <1> <17> <18> <19> <20> February 1966. Field survey. 1:2500 survey revised. Motte and bailey in good condition and preserved as an open space. <21> The baronial castle came into the King's hands in 1163 upon the outlawry of Henry of Essex, and although a little money was spent on its upkeep until 1186, no further expenditure occurred. <22> See also <23> - <26>.