The Marlborough Mound has recently been recognised as one of the most important monuments in the group around Stonehenge. It was also a medieval castle and a feature in a major 17th century garden. This is the first comprehensive history
of this extraordinary site. Marlborough Mound, standing among the buildings of Marlborough College,
has attracted little attention until recently. Records showed it to be
the motte of a Norman castle, of which there were no visible remains.
The local historians and archaeologists who had investigated it had
found very little in the way of archaeological evidence beyond a few
prehistoric antler picks, the odd Roman coin, and a scatter of medieval
pottery. It was to be archaeology which provided the most dramatic
discovery after the Mound Trust began to restore the mound in 2003.
English Heritage were investigating Silbury Hill, and arranged to take
cores from the Mound for dating purposes. The results were remarkable,
as they showed that the Mound was almost a twin of Silbury Hill and
therefore belonged to the extraordinary assembly of prehistoric
monuments centred on Stonehenge. For the medieval period, this book
brings together for the first time all that we know about the castle from
the royal records and from chronicles. These show that it was for a
time one of the major royal castles in the land. Most of the English
kings from William I to Edward III spent time here. For Henry III and
his queen Eleanor of Provence, it was their favourite castle after
Windsor. It marks the end of the first stage of the work of the Mound
Trust, which, following the restoration, turns to its second objective
of promoting public knowledge of the Mound based on scholarly research.
As
to its final form as a garden mound next to the house of the dukes of
Somerset, in the eighteenth century, this emerges from letters and even
poems, and from the recent restoration. Much of this has been slow and
painstaking work, however, involving the removal of the trees which
endangered the structure of the Mound, the recutting of the spiral path
and the careful replanting of the whole area with suitable vegetation.
By doing this, the shape of the Mound as a garden feature has
re-emerged, and can now be seen clearly. This book marks the end of
the first stage of the work of the Mound Trust, which, following the
restoration, turns to its second objective of promoting public knowledge
of the Mound based on scholarly research.
Contributions by:
Brian Dix,
Dr Jim Leary,
Professor Oliver Creighton,
Professor Joshua Pollard
Edited by:
Richard Barber
Imprint: The Boydell Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 15mm
Weight: 1g
ISBN: 9781783271863
ISBN 10: 1783271868
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 23 August 2022
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface Barry Cunliffe 1. 'One remarkable earthen-work': The Neolithic Origins of the Marlborough Mound Jim Leary and Joshua Pollard Afterword: The Round Mound Project Jim Leary, Elaine Jamieson and Phil Stastney 2. Castles and the Landscape of Norman Wessex, c. 1066-1154 Oliver H. Creighton 3. Marlborough Castle in the Middle Ages Richard Barber 4. The Mound as a Garden Feature Brian Dix 5. Epilogue: The Marlborough Mound Trust Appendices A Inquisition into the State of Marlborough Castle, 11 September 1327 B Castellum Merlebergae, by H.C. Brentnall, F.S.A. C Constables of Marlborough Castle D Marlborough Castle: Archaeological Findings for the Medieval Period Bibliography Index
RICHARD BARBER has had a huge influence on the study of medieval history and literature, as both a writer and a publisher. His first book on the Arthurian legend appeared in 1961, and his major works include The Knight and Chivalry (winner of the Somerset Maugham Award in 1971), Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Penguin Guide to Medieval Europe and The Holy Grail: the History of a Legend which was widely praised and was translated into six languages.
Reviews for The Marlborough Mound: Prehistoric Mound, Medieval Castle, Georgian Garden
This book is testament to the success of a visionary project. * British Archaeology *
