Untitled Document

Glossary

Sources

Motte, Castle Farm, Madley.

SMR NO. 6270 GRID REF: SO 4064 3840

Madley may be formed from the personal name 'Madda' and the Old English word 'ley', meaning 'wood' or 'clearing'. Hence Madley may mean 'Madda's clearing'. (Herefordshire Place Names - Copleston-Crow, BAR British Series 214, 1989)

A slight artificial earthwork on top of a natural mound much damaged by the erection of house and farm buildings. The motte is c 2.5m high, and 45m at the base. There are traces of a ditch 0.4, deep in the NW.

There is a possible bailey to the east with scarped edges except on the East and with a ditch on the South.

Blount describes it as a moated manor house and it is the possible site of Cublinton Castle, home of the Delafields.

In the Domesday Survey Madley is mentioned as land held by the Canons of Hereford. Madley held 3 hides which belonged to the Bishop's barton. There were 6 villagers with 4 ploughs. Madley also included woodland 1/2 a league long and 1 furlong wide, this woodland belonged to the King's Enclosure.