Bincknoll Fort: is it Really a Motte and Bailey or is it an Iron Age Fort? Broad Town Part 2

[@pwhitewick]

We looked at this "Castle" sometime back. I recall a name for the Lord (or whatever title). Gilbert of something. This was supposedly a castle he built to oversea his land. Completely agree... never really added up. Perhaps more likely he just took over a fort built during the Iron age, that was never widely used?

[@WC21UKProductionsLtd]

That was really interesting. Couldn’t really say, but your argument for it being a promontory fort was compelling. Exactly the sort of site they chose. It even looked like there was something on the dip slope where there were no natural defences. I struggle a bit with the motte and baileys down south as they’re generally less steep and defined than in north west England. Up here they look a child’s drawing! Very impressed by your umpiring of the cows. They generally hate me and want to trample me.

[@WiltshireMan]

Very interesting, I haven't been to Bincknoll for some time. I never considered the so mound to be a burial mound. When I first saw it I assumed there was first an Iron age hill fort the when the Normans arrived they put their motte and bailey up there, it is in quite a commanding position.

[@AllotmentFox]

Thanks, Wiltshire Man. But what does it command? Swindon has been a village up until the railways. No major routes nearby, though the Bath road might be a candidate, but why not plant your motte and bailey nearer? Ie, Oldbury castle. I ought to have a closer look at what pottery was there. M&Bs tend (in my experience) to be reasonably low down next to a settlement, though I’m not an expert. I guess if Bincknoll Farm was that sort of settlement and more important then that it is now it would make sense.

[@iainmc9859]

Could I suggest a motte being built during The Anarchy on top of an IA promontory fort. It is right on the front line between Matilda's forces in the West Country/south-east Wales and Stephen's forces to the east. It could be militarily stategic rather than economically useful, like the Gask Ridge Roman fortlets.

[@JimBagby74]

Looks like you started off in a Pink Floyd album cover with them thar’ cows. My vote for the Fort/Motte debate is both. I know quite a few of the forts were re-purposed by Romans, Normans, or both. Practical they were. I had a wander around Wandlebury in Cambridgeshire, and it was used by everybody except the Normans. Don’t know why they didn’t. As to why everyone else did, it’s the highest point in Cambridgeshire by a good bit. Is it very high up? Not really. But for Cams, it’s positively Alpine.

[@adrianvodden8327]

Thank you for your reply

[@thebeatentrack156]

Hahaha love those cows 🤣

[@sswan5271]

Looks Iron Age to me too.

[@davidrobinson8705]

New to your channel, great video. Quite agree it has a look of Iron Age. The castle remains local to me (Elmley Castle) are just earthworks like this; and that castle was superimposed on an Iron Age hill fort. I suppose it would have saved a lot of time digging.

[@AllotmentFox]

Thank you. Norman castles wouldn't have been built just anywhere, though. I am wracking my brains working out just what they were guarding

[@Endless_Spiral]

Lovely video, I used to live in Clyffe Pypard and often walked to the castle and through Quidhampton woods. Really interesting to hear about the names. Hidden Wiltshire have done a bit (Podcast I think) on this place and apparently the locals pronounce it "Binnoll" (may have spelt that wrong!)? I had the same thoughts about the motte and bailey, had a nap on there and got woken by a single friendly bullock! I believe the bird is a buzzard, they have a longer more flamboyant call than a red kite and there's tones of them along that plateau :)

[@AllotmentFox]

Thank you for the buzzard tip: it was a buzzard according to the internet but I wouldn't have found it without your tip.

[@JimChampion]

Bird sound overhead near the start is a red kite.

[@JimChampion]

Yesterday we saw a lapwing bothering a red kite. The red kite remained silent, but the lapwing was quite noisy. Presumably the lapwing had a nest somewhere in the field below and didn’t want the kite taking an interest.

[@AllotmentFox]

The long fluting whistle? Well I never

[@JimChampion]

@@AllotmentFox some noisy (but authentic) footage from 14 years ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5qVl6Oqrt6sjqcsi=XcmhR-bnC0jG9GLf

[@adrianvodden8327]

I was delighted to come across your channel. Tangentially, but continuing with continuity in the landscape, do you make use of tithe maps and tithe apportionments?

[@AllotmentFox]

I do, especially Wiltshire as it has all been digitised and overlain on the county heritage and environmental record map. Sometimes you get beautiful correlations with the A-S charters showing names that have mutated from old names. I’m glad you enjoyed it and feel free to get involved with various discussions in the comments section, I enjoy reading and answering them

[@JasonUmbrellabird]

A Cliff normally has both hands vertical, 'she's just a devil woman!'

[@AllotmentFox]

Do you remember the All About Eve cover, a b-side on a 45, if I remember rightly

[@wattster71]

Thanks for the chuckle with the cows at the start!

[@AllotmentFox]

Cattle get so bored they make an appreciative audience!

[@harper5892]

I thought at first it was a red kite, but as the whistle progressed decided someone was whistling their dog (or herd of Friesians)

[@AllotmentFox]

Thanks to Endless_Spiral I now know it was a buzzard

[@JasonUmbrellabird]

I got chased by a bunch of cows when I was picking magic mushrooms in Wales, I barely escaped with my life.

[@AllotmentFox]

They spend all year tending their mushroom crops and then along comes a human and nicks them. I’m not surprised

[@tonystone9367]

Fantastic interaction with the Bovines 🙂

[@JimChampion]

Yesterday there was a group of similar young ones in a field we were walking through, but they’d all crammed into the only spot with any shade (it was about midday and sunny). Conveniently it meant they didn’t get between us and the gate out of the field. Once out we lingered and they came over to see us and did a lot of sniffing. Only having a yellow tag in one ear (not both) signifies something, but I can’t remember what. Would have to look it up.

[@JimChampion]

Maybe I’m imagining it. Do older ones have a tag in each ear?