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MISCELLANEA THE DESTRUCTION OF MARTON MOTTE, CHIRBURY In 1963 members of the Powysland Club visited the motte and bailey castle known as 'The Mount', at Marton, Chirbury (SJ/290026), (Fig. xviii). Those present on that occasion and others familiar with the site will be sorry to learn that the motte and much of the bailey were totally obliterated during the winter of 1967-68. Now, in August 1968, all but that part of the bailey isolated in the adjoining field is completely level and under corn. Fortunately the site was surveyed in 1963, and discussed in relation to other mottes in the immediate area, in an article published in 1965.1 It also figured in an important field survey published in 1949.2 Standing on the N. side of the hamlet of Marton and alongside the Montgomery to Shrewsbury road, it was at the watershed between the Rea Brook, flowing NE. into Shropshire, and the Aylesford Brook, flowing SW. to unite with the Camlad for that river's final stretch to the Severn near Forden. The gap followed by these water- courses between the Long Mountain to the NW. and Stapely Hill to the SE. was followed by the Roman road from Wroxeter to Forden Gaer, which passed through Marton immediately W. of the motte. This valley route would have been the obvious line for Earl Roger's advance from Shrewsbury soon after 1071, which saw the construction of Hen Domen, his castle of 'Muntgumeri' of the Domesday Survey. Between Hen Domen and the castle of his tenant Roger Corbet at Caus, 10 miles to the NE., the valley route and the plain in the angle of the Camlad was set close with twelve lesser mottes. Marton was one of these, situated at the narrowest and highest point of the 'vale', and about half way between Hen Domen and Caus.5 1 D. J. Cathcart King and C.J. Spurgeon, "The Mottes in the Vale of Montgomery", Arch. Camb., 1965, pp. 69-86, with map and plans. 2 Miss L. F. Chitty, "Subsidiary Castle Sites West of Shrewsbury", Trans. Shrops. Arch. Soc, 1949, Vol. LIII, pp. 83-93. 8 Traced by W. G. Putnam and shown, with his permission, on map in article cited in note 1 4 C.J. Spurgeon, Mont. Coil., Vol. 59, 1965-66, pp. 20-25, with refs. 6 See map in article cited in note 1.