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Medieval fortified manor house of Acton Burnell

An Archaeological Overview of Weoley Castle, Birmingham

An Archaeological Overview of Weoley Castle, Birmingham

An Archaeological Overview of Weoley Castle, Birmingham

by S. J. Linnane, Quita Mould and Stephanie Rátkai with Richard K Morris

The Site

Weoley Castle is a fortified, medieval manor-house situated four miles to the southwest

of Birmingham city centre in the parish of Northfield within the historic county of

Worcestershire (National Grid Reference SP 02158275). The surviving ruins consist of a

stone curtain wall with square towers and the foundations of internal buildings, all

surrounded by a wide moat. No trace of a documented outer bailey survives above

ground.

Fig. 1: Aerial view, looking north of the castle after post-war consolidation (Scan 009c)

The Project

By the beginning of this century the castle was on the Monuments at Risk register. This

provided the impetus for an extensive project, the

Weoley Castle Development Project,

which was jointly funded by Birmingham City Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund and

English Heritage. The principal aims of the project included the consolidation of the

standing fabric, the development of the castle as a community and educational resource

and a re-assessment of the surviving finds and excavation records. This last strand of the

project formed the basis of

An Archaeological Overview of Weoley Castle, Birmingham,

undertaken by Barbican Research Associates, managed by Stephanie Ratkai and

monitored by Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery.

Site History

In the early medieval period the manor formed a part of the estates of the de Paganel, and

de Somery, Barons of Dudley. Excavation has proved that a large timber hall stood on the

site in the 12th century with surrounding ditch, bank and palisade. Somewhat later a wellbuilt,

ashlar, stone hall was constructed in the north-eastern part of the enclosure with a

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wooden kitchen to the south. The kitchen is notable for the excellent preservation of its

timbers due to waterlogging. It was a weather-boarded structure connected to the stone

hall by a raised causeway with timber pentice. The kitchen is probably one of the best

preserved, excavated, timber buildings of the period.

In 1264 Roger II de Somery obtained a Licence to Crenellate. This resulted in rebuilding

at Dudley Castle under Roger III de Somery and John de Somery and it is probable that

the construction of the stone defences at Weoley belongs to this period also. All the

earlier buildings within the ditched enclosure were sealed by upcast from the excavation

of a new, large moat and the castle defences completely rebuilt in stone. Excavations

from before the Second World War and from 1955 to 1962 have effectively uncovered

nearly all of the outlines of the stone buildings. The resulting plan can be usefully

compared with a survey of the site, dating to1424, listing the buildings and their function.

Weoley Castle passed from the Barony of Dudley on the death of John de Somery in

1322, when the estates were divided between his two sisters. His sister Joan (and her

husband Thomas de Botetourt) retained Weoley as part of her moiety. In the early 15th

century the castle passed from the Botetourts, to the Berkeley family, although a series of

disputes and a superfluity of claimants meant that this was not a smooth transition.

Alterations to the defences in the form of well-constructed turrets, circular and octagonal,

and buttresses indicate the continued appreciation of the site as a high-status dwelling –

which the finds collection confirms.

The life of the castle as an aristocratic residence came to an end in the early 16th century

when the castle was sold to Richard Jervoise, a wealthy London merchant. It remained in

the Jervoise family until the 19th century, although during the entire Jervoise tenure it

had been sublet to various individuals. Excavations suggest that those buildings

remaining were increasingly used as farm out-buildings during this period.

Results of the Project

A wealth of archival and artefactual information exists for the castle, most of which has

not been studied since the early 1960s. Records for the pre-war excavations, which were

never published, were destroyed by fire in the Second World War, although a substantial

photographic archive survives. The loss of the paper record has left a large collection of

well-preserved, but largely unprovenanced, artefacts and pottery.

Excavations between 1955 and1962 also produced significant amounts of material. Some

of this has been published but the greater part has not. Records from these excavations

have survived but they are incomplete and details of the excavations can only be partially

reconstructed. Nevertheless the 'overview project' has revealed a wealth of information

of regional and national importance.

The site itself

The pre-war excavations were conducted by G. M. Bark for Birmingham City Council

(see fig. 2) and were effectively a wall-chasing exercise, concentrating on clearing

overgrowth and excavating within the moat to expose the exterior of the red-sandstone

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curtain walls with fine ashlar towers and buttresses. Within the interior, overburden was

removed to medieval surfaces in order to expose wall footings which allowed the

excavator to interpret each building in light of information from the 1424 survey. The

locations of the hall, solar block, kitchen and chapel were all convincingly demonstrated.

The post-war excavations were undertaken by Adrian Oswald for Birmingham Museum

and Art Galleries (see fig. 3) and consisted of a sequence of trenches and test pits which

were sometimes expanded to create larger areas of excavation. To the west the

excavations revealed, the bakery and a granary occupied and modified throughout the

later life of the castle. In the eastern part the excavator intended to explore the earlier

medieval deposits and was fortunate to find, at the base of deep trenches, that

waterlogged deposits preserved significant elements of the structural timbers intact

allowing of detailed re-construction of the earliest timber hall, slightly later kitchen and

ancillary buildings.

Oswald also worked on significant moat deposits, left undisturbed by the pre-war

excavations, revealing not only an interesting sequence of deposits and associated finds

but also the well-preserved remains of two timber bridges; the main bridge leading to the

Gatehouse in the northeast and, to the east, a lesser bridge crossing the moat from a

postern gate in the curtain wall.

Fig. 2. G.M. Bark excavating pre-war in the northwest corner of the castle, looking east (Scan

916c)

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Fig. 3 .

Adrian Oswald excavating iron window grill in the north-east corner of the castle

(Scan 595c)

Excavated architectural details

Reports on the loose architectural stone, the roof tile, decorated floor tile and painted

window glass, show the castle to have been well appointed. The floor tiles, dating to the

14th century, were from the chapel and consist of larger than average sized tiles with

encaustic decoration. The only parallel for these can be found at Maxstoke Priory. The

painted window glass, again dating to the early 14th century, finds its closest parallels in

Merton College, Oxford. A small fragment, with painted lion paw, appears to come from

a heraldic design showing the de Somery coat of arms (or, two lions passant azure). This

can be directly paralleled by excavated glass from Dudley Castle and by a complete

example in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow. Roofs were evidently of lead, and of ceramic

tile made in Birmingham. The tiled roofs were surmounted by 'horned' and crested ridge

tiles, and by decorative finials (see fig. 4).

A mysterious category of finds was composed of small pieces of slate, roughly the same

dimensions and shapes as the surviving window glass fragments. These had been painted

with linear designs in orange, red, yellow and white. They are at present unparalleled but

may represent practice pieces for glass painting or may even have been used in repairing

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broken damaged panels. Within the excavated stonework were gargoyle-headed water

spouts and other decorative details suggesting architecture of considerable

embellishment. An iron window grate with associated wooden shutter and stone surround

(see fig. 3) was excavated from the northeast corner of the moat suggestive of a violent

collapse of at least a part of the nearby tower.

Fig. 4. Architectural detail. Left - a red sandstone gargoyle-headed water spout from the

pre-war excavations (Scan 271). Right – ceramic roof furniture.

There was also architectural detail from surprisingly late in the castle’s occupation. Eight

fragmentary fluted pieces appear to come from a columnar chimney dating to around the

mid 16

th century and paralleled at Lacock Abbey and Burghley house. It is possible that

the chimney was built under the patronage of Richard Jervoise, sheriff of London and

member of the Somerset circle, who took possession of Weoley in the 1530s.

Artefacts

An impressive collection of artefacts, nearly all of which have been completely

conserved, survives.

Although in general the finds are typical of high-status castle sites, they contain several

rare items such as a tin communion cruet (fig. 5), a copper alloy netting needle and silver

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inlaid shears. The site is remarkable for the number of complete or near complete

artefacts which have apparently been discarded into the moat. Amongst these are a

number of copper alloy skimmers, copper alloy tankards, pewter flatware and a pair of

gilded rowel spurs (fig. 6). The significance of the discard of complete but undoubtedly

recyclable items seems thus far to have been unremarked.

Fig. 5. Pewter communion cruet (Scan 228)

Waterlogging in the south-east corner of the site and in the moat has also favoured the

preservation of organic materials including shoes and other leather items, a wooden

bagpipe chanter and bucket, and possible basketry.

An extensive collection of medieval coins and tokens were also recovered from the site.

The study of these did not form part of the project brief. It seems clear that there must

have been a counting-house on the site and the loss of so many coins finds an echo in the

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discard of good-quality metal artefacts.

Fig. 6. One of a pair of gilded rowel spurs from the moat

The Pottery

The stratified pottery falls into two distinct groups; that associated with the timber

moated manor (Periods I-III) and that associated with the backfill of the moat of the stone

castle. There are some inconsistencies in the stratigraphy and pottery seriation for the first

three periods of occupation, so it has not been possible to construct a totally reliable

development of pottery use in the 12th and 13th centuries. Nevertheless, this has been

more than off-set by studies in pottery function, pottery distribution across the site,

pottery sources and by comparison with pottery assemblages in the Bull Ring,

Birmingham.

The later pottery from the moat was described by the original excavator as having come

from three distinct groups, the remaining moat fills having been mostly sterile. Although

it was possible to allocate some of the pottery to these three groups (the south-east corner,

the north-east corner and the area around the North Tower), it was not possible to

reconstruct these groups in their entirety. However, it is clear that the moat fills date from

the early 14th century through to the early 16th century. The downgrading of the castle

after its purchase by the Jervoise family is clearly visible in the ceramic assemblage, the

latest pottery in the moat being cistercian ware, probably dating to

c. 1480-1525, with

17th-century and later pottery seemingly associated with one area of the site, which is

thought to have been an agricultural building.

The pottery assemblage is notable for several reasons. There are Continental imports from

France, Spain and the Rhineland. Continental imports are not common in the West Midlands

and the medieval French whitewares found at Weoley, including a Rouen-type jug (fig 7),

are extremely rare. Another rare item is a distilling base and aludel (both more or less complete)

which were found together in the Moat. The base was found to contain traces of mercury

and this ties in quite nicely with a mercury jar (of unknown provenance) found on the

site (see fig. 7).

Fig. 7. A—distilling apparatus found within the Moat. B—Rouen-Style jug associated

with the demolition of the first stone hall c 1260. C- Mercury Jar found during

Oswald's excavations but exact provenance unknown

A B

C

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The assemblage also produced examples of medieval London-type ware. This is

extremely significant since Deritend Ware jugs, which were made in Birmingham in the

13th and early 14th centuries, are either direct copies of London-type ware or were made

by immigrant potters from the south-east working in Birmingham. However, to date, no

London-type ware has been found in central Birmingham, and the Weoley sherds are the

one direct link between the two wares.

Fig. 8. Deritend Ware Jug with white slip decoration and roller stamping, from the pre-

War excavations

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More generally, the pottery from the Moat indicates a number of non-local sources such

as the Welsh Marches and the East Midlands, which seem to mirror the familial and

seigneurial connections of the Lords of Weoley Castle.

Overview

In summary, there are still many aspects of the castle that deserve further investigation

and interpretation. The castle seems to have served not just an economic function for the

collection and storage of produce from the manor but appears also to have been used as

an aristocratic residence of some substance.

What next?

The project was completed in August 2011. The wider dissemination of the project

results was not part of the project brief but they clearly deserve to be brought to a wider

audience. The first step to accomplish this will be the storage of all the reports and

catalogues on ADS and details will be posted on the Barbican website when known.

However, the ultimate aim is to synthesise the project results into a separate volume.

An Archaeological Overview of Weoley Castle, Birmingham

consists of the following

reports.

Archaeological Archive

Weoley Castle – an appraisal of the surviving Archaeological Archive by Stephen

J. Linnane

Weoley Castle – the reduced archive, 2.0 Pre-war Excavations

Weoley Castle – the reduced archive, 3.0 Post-war Excavations, 3.1 The Trenches

Weoley Castle – the reduced archive, 3.0 Post-war Excavations, 3.2 The Moat

Weoley Castle - the reduced archive, 3.0 Post-war Excavations, 3.3 The Western

Interior

Weoley Castle – the reduced archive, 3.0 Post-war Excavations, 3.4 Periods I-III

Weoley Castle - the reduced archive, 3.0 Post-war Excavations, 3.4.7 The Wooden

Kitchen

Ceramics

Weoley Castle: A Reappraisal of and Report on the Pottery by Stephanie Rátkai

Appendix 1: Early Cooking Pot Fabrics

Appendix 2: Deritend Ware

Appendix 3: Iron-Poor Wares

Appendix 4: Iron-Poor Fabrics: Whiteware

Appendix 5: Sandy Micaceous and Micaceous wares

Appendix 6: Late Medieval Wares

Appendix 7: Midlands Purple Ware and Later Fabrics

Appendix 8: Cistercian Ware

Appendix 9: Regional Imports

Appendix 10: Continental Imports

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Small Finds

An appraisal of the portable finds from Weoley Castle, Birmingham by Quita

Mould

Weoley Castle: small finds catalogue by Quita Mould

Structural Finds

Weoley Castle: The Ceramic Building Material by Stephanie Rátkai

Weoley Castle: The loose architectural stones, an assessment by Dr. Richard K.

Morris

Weoley Castle: The decorated window glass by Stephen J. Linnane

Weoley Castle: The Medieval Floor Tiles by Stephen J. Linnane

Here Comes Myths and Legends | Osprey Adventure Books

Here Comes Myths and Legends | Osprey Adventure Books

Massive Cosmic Explosion 'Struck Medieval Earth'

Massive Cosmic Explosion 'Struck Medieval Earth'

Massive Cosmic Explosion 'Struck Medieval Earth'

Huffington Post UK | By Michael Rundle Posted: 21/01/2013 08:29 GMT | Updated: 21/01/2013 19:07 GMT

 

:

Carolingians, Charlemagne, Cosmic Radiation, Gamma Rays, Space, Space News, UK NEWS, UK Tech News

A massive burst of inter-stellar radiation may have stuck the Earth in the middle ages, researchers have announced.
It is thought that the explosion occurred when two black holes or neutron stars collided somewhere in the Milky Way.
The resultant gamma ray burst sent shockwaves through the galaxy, and hit our planet in the eighth century AD, the German team behind the study told the BBC.
It is the latest development of the theory that the middle ages saw a spike in the amount of radiation that can now be found in trees and rocks.
In 2012 a Japanese team found that ancient cedar trees had high levels of carbon-14, an isotope which is created when radiation strikes atoms in our upper atmosphere.
Further research on radiation found in ice in the USA pinned the explosion down to between 774 and 774 AD.
It was thought a supernova explosion, or possibly a very large solar flare or Coronal Mass Ejection could have been the cause.
But the German team led by Professor Ralph Neuhauser, from the Institute of Astrophysics at the University of Jena now claims an explosion deep in the Milky Way is likely to blame.
Speaking to the BBC, he said that a "very, very explosive" event about 3,000 to 12,000 light-years away was probably the cause of the radiation spike.
So why - as Engadget's Daniel Cooper put it on Twitter - wasn't there a sudden rise in the number of medieval Hulks stalking Carolingian Europe - or a rise in illness?
Because, Professor Neuhauser said, most of the radiation was absorbed by the atmosphere, so that only small traces eventually landed on the surface. It was also unlikely that any visible light hit the Earth.
So there you have it, comic book writers: you finally have a scenario for your medieval X-Men story.
Oh, wait...
UPDATE: Interestingly, it has been pointed out to HuffPost by Oxford Masters student Alex Franklin that the Anglo Saxon Chronicle entry for 774 AD contains the following line:

"This year also appeared in the heavens a red crucifix, after sunset; the Mercians and the men of Kent fought at Otford; and wonderful serpents were seen in the land of the South-Saxons."

It's not likely to be related, but it's an interesting twist anyway. Also, if anyone sees any wonderful serpents too, let us know?

10 of the best medieval walled cities | CNN Travel

10 of the best medieval walled cities

Walls designed to keep people out now attract visitors in their thousands

By Bruce Holmes 25 April, 2012

For history buffs, photographers and anyone who’s ever said “Wow!” there’s nothing quite like the sight of a medieval walled city approached from a distance.
Then there are the explorations within, tours of castles, walks along the walls and shops and restaurants in medieval squares.
Many cities still have their medieval walls predominantly intact in various parts of the world. Did I mention my obsession? I’ve visited quite a few.
Also on CNNGo: Asia's 10 greatest street food cities

1. Pingyao, China

Impressive on the outside, great fun on the inside.

Situated in Shanxi province, the 14th century Han Chinese city of Pingyao was once China’s foremost financial center with half the country’s banks located there.
Today it retains its layout from the Ming and Qing dynasties and this, together with its impressive city walls, saw it World Heritage listed in 1997.
Construction of the city walls began under the Emperor Hongwu in 1370. They stand 12 meters high, have a six-kilometer perimeter, six gates, 72 watchtowers and a moat outside.
But after all that history what some of you really want to know is that the ladies in our group found the shops and markets of the medieval streets absolutely fantastic!
www.travelchinaguide.com
whc.unesco.org

2. Carcassonne, France

Feel like the old guards, walking the walls inside the Chateau Comtal in the walled city of Carcassonne, France.
After the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 Carcassonne no longer guarded the frontier and its beautiful stonework and towers deteriorated till merchants cried, “Pull it down.”
Thankfully an awareness of heritage saw it classified as a protected monument in 1849 and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was commissioned to restore it. His work was one reason for the site’s World Heritage listing.
Visitors can tour the Château Comtal within the walled city, examine the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse, or when it’s time for a breather I can recommend a meal with local area wine at La Bonne Demeure on the medieval square.
Driving away, we stop to look back. Instead of roofless, ruined towers the slate roofs glint in the sun atop a 13th-century fortress city that dominates the horizon. We stand in awe.
www.carcassonne-tourisme.com

3. York, England

The Minster From The City Walls in York.
On a ghost walk through York’s gloomy streets, beneath a fortified gate in the medieval wall, we hear how an American woman’s ancestor was one of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s soldiers who’d been captured at the Battle of Culloden, convicted of treason and beheaded.
“His head" (our guide’s eyes roll upwards) “was stuck on a pike above Micklegate Bar as a warning for all to see. And in the 20th century his descendent had heard his words of foreboding, ‘Beware the people of York,’ at which she’d promptly fainted.”
York has a significant proportion of its walls intact, more than any other city in England. The visitor can walk along them, stopping at small museums at some of the gates.
www.visityork.org

4. Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik’s old town surrounded by its medieval walls.
Most of the existing walls and fortifications surrounding the old center of the Adriatic port city of Dubrovnik were constructed during the 14th and 15th centuries, but parts were extended and strengthened even up to the 17th century.
No hostile army ever breached them during the Middle Ages and while the earthquake of 1667 destroyed many buildings it left the walls largely unscathed.
Walk the two-kilometer circuit of the walls for fantastic views of the sea and of the old city that lies within the walls, taking water and wearing hat and sunscreen as there’s precious little shade.
www.tzdubrovnik.hr

5. Xi’an, China

The top of the medieval city wall in Xi'an.
Looking out from the fortified wall in Xi’an, there’s a striking contrast. In the foreground stands a watchtower, cannon and red Chinese lantern; in the distance a modern apartment building looms.
The earlier wall was rebuilt in 1378 by Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. It’s one of the best preserved fortified city walls in the world, standing 12 meters high, 12-18 meters thick and 14 kilometers long.
Walking along the top is a good way to gain a city perspective, though tourists will more often be seen on bicycles -- there’s plenty of room here, the breadth of the wall having been designed to facilitate troop movements.
en.xian-tourism.com
Also on CNNGo: 10 cities, 100 amazing free attractions

6. Óbidos, Portugal

Head here in July for a true medieval-themed market.
Ringed by medieval walls, the hill-top town of Óbidos with its Moorish castle was recaptured by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, in 1148 and from then until 1883 it became the property of the Queens of Portugal.
For visitors who truly want to relive the medieval, for two weeks in July the castle hosts a medieval market complete with heraldic flags, jugglers, minstrels and spit roast feasting.
You can even drink from a pewter tankard to get into the spirit of things.
www.visitportugal.com
Also on CNNGo: Tour guides pick their favorite city sights

7. Québec City, Canada

A horse and carriage enters the old city of Québec through the St Louis Gate in the fortified wall.
Walking along the ramparts of the city’s 4.6 kilometers of walls and through the gates in old Québec is an historic experience, this being one of the few cities in North America to have preserved its fortified line of defense.
We’re lucky this World Heritage feature survived at all, for in the 19th century people tore down gates and parts of the wall. But a new Governor-General, Lord Dufferin, turned public opinion and saved the fortifications for posterity.
The “new” St Louis Gate, re-built in 1878, is a testament to his efforts and provides a sense of old world charm -- horse and carriage often pass through it on a beautiful clear morning.
www.quebecregion.com
www.pc.gc.ca

8. Taroudant, Morocco

Life inside Taroudant's wall.

From 1509 Taroudant was the capital city of the Saadi dynasty of Morocco, until they moved on to Marrakech. Mohammed ash-Sheikh constructed the city walls and built the great mosque and its minaret in 1528.
The red earth walls encircle virtually the whole town and are six kilometers long, with bastions and gates.
Situated in the Sous valley in the south of the country, Taroudant’s Arab souk sells a variety of crafts including pottery, copper work, carpets and jewelry.
www.morocco.com

9. Mystras, Greece

The Monastery of Peribleptos in the ruined city of Mystras, Peloponnese, Greece.
Not every walled city is still inhabited. On Mount Taygetos near Sparta in the Peloponnese lies the archaeological treasure that is the abandoned city of Mystras, where the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, was crowned in 1449.
Mystras was founded in 1249 by a Frankish crusader, William II of Villehardouin, but it soon came under Byzantine control and later fell to the Turks in 1460. Eventually, the inhabitants of Mystras gave up and moved away.
Among several religous sites at Mystras, the church of Our Lady Peribleptos is decorated with rare frescoes which are perfect examples of Byzantine art dating from the 14th century.
www.visitgreece.gr
odysseus.culture.gr

10. Ávila, Spain

Great for perspective photographs.

When ruled by Arabs, the city of Ávila suffered repeated attacks by Iberian Christian kingdoms until it lay abandoned. It was repopulated under the rule of the Christian Raymond of Burgundy in the 11th century and he began the building of the defensive walls.
With 88 semi-circular towers punctuating its 2.5-kilometer perimeter, the wall makes for an impressive sight. One of its six gates leads straight up to the Gothic cathedral which is a virtual fortress fixed to the wall.
The city was the birthplace of Saint Teresa of Ávila, a prominent Carmelite nun and mystic. Also prior to the 18th century there were more than 100 mansions in the city, which is why its full name is Ávila de los Caballeros, or Ávila of the Noblemen.
www.avila.com

Deliciously Twisted Versions Of The Women Of Disney

Deliciously Twisted Versions Of The Women Of Disney

These are versions of Disney’s female characters that are absolutely not going to be pushed around by some evil villain. In fact, some of them look like they may have become the villains themselves. DeviantArtist Jeffrey Thomas has taken all the fragility and softness out and redrawn them tough as nails and ready to kick some fairy tale ass.
See more pictures after the break…