Herefordshire Through Time
Herefordshire Through Time
Historic Environment Record reference no. 922, Ordnance Survey grid reference: SO 4730 2655
The parish of Orcop lies 14km to the south of Hereford. At Moat Farm, 330m north-west of St. John's Church, lies this early Norman castle. The Garron Brook runs along the south side of the site.
The site comprises a circular motte, averaging 74m in diameter at the base and rising approximately 7m above the surrounding moat, which is now almost dry.
The moat has a counterscarp and parapet, except on the north where it divides the motte from a kidney-shaped bailey. A shallow ditch surrounds the bailey, except on the east, where it is bounded by the Garron Brook. Here the scarp is 1.8m above the stream. The entrance to the bailey appears to have been in the middle of the north side. Modern buildings have disturbed the bailey, but otherwise there has been no change.
There are partially-exposed foundations of a polygonal shell keep crowning the motte, and there is also evidence of foundations in the bailey.
The castle at this site is thought to date from the 12th century or earlier.