Hope Motte was a 11th-century Norman castle, located on the south side of the village of Hope in Derbyshire.
History
The castle was built following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, possibly after William the Conqueror’s “Harrying of the North” in the winter of 1069-70. The village of Hope had been the main Anglo-Saxon administrative center along the Hope Valley, a strategic line of communication across the region, which also possessed valuable mineral resources.
It was probably constructed by William Peverel, a follower of William the Conqueror who was richly rewarded for supporting him during the invasion, and received lands across the north of England. The castle was a simple earthwork and timber design, positioned on a natural spur of land and overlooking the Peakshole Water stream below.
In due course, William Peverel built another castle, this time in stone, closer to the entrance to the valley. This became Peveril Castle and eventually took over the administration of the surrounding barony, leading to the decline in importance of Hope and its castle. Hope Motte was mentioned in records at the end of the 13th century, but was eventually abandoned.
In the 21st century, the castle is protected under UK law as a Scheduled Monument. The surviving earthworks comprise a motte, 45 by 28 metres (148 by 92 ft) across, and up to 11 metres (36 ft) high on the southern side, where the stream has eroded the castle. The motte was protected by a ditch, which survives on the north and west side, now up to 7 metres (23 ft) wide and 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) deep.
Attribution
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