Orcop
Orcop is a small motte and bailey castle lying in the
Ergyng district of the south-western fringes of Herefordshire in what
was until the Norman era, Welsh territory. The castle lies
approximately half way between Hereford and Monmouth, both early Norman penetrations into the district.
The date of the foundation of the castle is unknown, but it was possibly abandoned before 1136 when King Stephen exchanged Archenfield, the land south-west of Hereford, for Llantilio (White Castle) and Grosmont,
with the Norman baron, Pain Fitz John. According to a charter
made between Pain's death in action on 10 July 1137 and May 1138 Pain
had exchanged Llantilio and the farm of Grosmont with its appurtenances
of the wood of Orcop and land in Garway (Garou) and Trawarn with Harewood in exchange for the bordering district of Archenfield. This exchange made Grosmont and Llantilio available with Skenfrith
to be turned into a royal marcher lordship, generally held by the
king's representative in the district, the sheriff of Hereford, and
later known as the Trilateral.
It should be noted once more that no castle has been mentioned at any
of these places and it is possible that none yet existed in what was
then pacified land. Despite this, their style would indicate that
castles already existed at Llantilio, Grosmont and Orcop. An early motte and bailey castle was also constructed at Newcastle, above Skenfrith. Certainly by 1160 the only operational castles in the district seem to have been the three castles of the Trilateral. This was when King Henry II seized the district on the death of Walter Hereford who had been lord of the Trilateral
since the death of his brother, Earl Roger of Hereford in 1155.
Ocrop seems to have remained in the possession of Walter's brothers and
heirs until the death of his youngest brother, Mahel Hereford, in
October 1165. The land then passed to the Crown. This is
suggested as the first recorded payments from these lands occurred in
the Pipe Roll of 1168 when an annual payment of 5s was made from Orcop
by Walter Baskerville until 1172. Between 1173 and 1176 Robert
Baskerville made the payment, while after 1177 the sheriff of Hereford
appeared responsible for the sum.
Description
The motte and bailey lies just west of a south flowing stream with the
20' high motte, totally surrounded by its own wet moat lying to the
south of the site. The motte is about 160' in diameter with a
summit surface area of 60' which was obviously occupied by either a
large round tower or a small shell keep. The foundations of this
are as clearly visible as the round tower on top of the motte at Nevern was prior to excavation. Similar motte and baileys with probable towers on the mottes exist nearby at Walterstone, Llancillo and Much Marcle.
To the north of the motte is a largely ploughed out sub rectangular
bailey which has been destroyed by farm buildings to the north.
Copyright©2021
Paul Martin Remfry
