Duneight Motte and Bailey

Map reference: J278608 (3278, 3608)



The motte from the south

The motte is roughly triangular in shape and is guarded on the west side by a substantial ditch and bank. It has a maximum width of about 17.5m and rises about 10m above the ditch on the west side. The Ravernet River forms the southern boundary. Between the motte and the bailey is a ditch about 8m wide and 1.8m deep.



The bailey from the north

The D-shaped bailey extends to the east and there is a shallow outer ditch to the north and east. The maximum dimensions are about 30m E-W and 40m N-S. Excavation showed that the bailey may be a remodelled pre-Norman structure. It may have been the Dun Echdach mentioned in the Annals in 1003 and 1010. Excavation also uncovered a collared urn with a cremation burial, evidence of Bronze Age activity.



Some views of the western ditch