A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 



MOUNTS WITH ONE OR MORE ATTACHED COURTS 



(CLASS E) 



EARL SHILTON CASTLE YARD (xxxvi, 9). Four miles north-east from 

 Hinckley. On the west side of the church, in a field locally known as 

 ' Castle Yard,' is the mount on which stood a castle of Simon de Montfort. 

 The mount has a decided convex escarpment of 28 ft. ; a slightly hollowed 

 top is still discernible, although its use as a kitchen garden must necessarily 

 be hastening the time when it will no longer be distinguishable. 



The fosse, 6 ft. wide and 4ft. deep, was originally far more imposing 

 as may be verified by a fragment of the revetment at the south-east, where 

 the entrance may be traced but it has been filled in to a great extent. 

 Buildings have nearly obliterated the fosse on the west and north and the 

 churchyard wall and grave-mounds on the east. The bailey has been ex- 

 tensive, no doubt enlarged at a later period than the mount, and adapted to 

 manorial residence. It is oblong in plan and extends on the south side ; a 

 stream forms its western boundary, and small remains of a fosse are on the 

 south-west. 



GILMORTON (xlix, 5 & 6). Three miles north-east from Lutterworth, 

 west of the village church, is the mount and bailey of an early castle, 



supplemented on 

 the north-west by 

 a manorial moat ; 

 which latter will 

 be noticed under 

 Class G. The cir- 

 cular mount has a 

 flat top, and an 

 escarpment of 

 2 1 ft. into a wide 

 fosse, with a coun- 

 terscarp of 6 ft. ; 

 the latter however, 

 has been destroyed 

 on the eastern side 

 by a footpath. 

 The bailey is small, 

 of horse-shoe 

 shaped plan, situ- 

 ated on the north- 

 west of the fortress, and the fosse which merges with that around the 

 mount is clearly marked on its western side only, the other portions are 

 but just traceable, being cut up by two paths and generally levelled by 

 the tread of cattle. 



GROBY, CASTLE HILL (xxx, 4). Groby, or Grooby, formerly a hamlet 

 of Ratby, is situated four miles to the north-west of Leicester. From the 

 Saxon Ulfi the property passed to Hugh de Grantmesnil after the Norman 



258 



SCALEOFFEET 



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CASTLE MOUNT AND MOAT, GILMORTON 



