In Annesley Park is a simple form of motte and bailey largely depending on the natural hill for its defence. The bailey is on the N of the mound. A fragment of the ditch remains at the bailey's NE corner and a transverse bank 120ft long extends across the middle of the bailey on the W side. (1)
Regnald de Annesley in 1220 "made an house in the forest of Sherewood at Aneslegh so strong ... that it was thought it might chance to bring damage to the neighbouring parts." This in all probability was the "Old Castle of Annesley" on the bounds of the forest in the perambulation during Charles II. (2)
Perambulation 1300 - "And then along the high road as far as beneath the old Castle of Annesley." (3)
The conical mound is quite distinct. Bailey can be recognised, but the site is now densely overgrown and in a very thick fir plantation. There is no sign of a fosse. There are sycamore trees on the mound. Fir plantation is so thick that it had to be traversed on all fours. (5)
Plan as on 6in sheet. (4)
A motte and bailey now covered by a plantation of firs. The earthworks have been placed on relatively flat ground but on the edge of a deep valley extending to the east and south. The defences, comprise a large, flat-topped motte with a bailey to the north. A fragment of bank and ditch across the bailey may indicate that it was divided into two courts of baileys. The motte averages 42 m. in diameter and 2 m. in height. On the east and SE the natural slope drops steeply away; there is the slight unsurveyable depression of a ditch on the north. The defences of the bailey appear to have consisted of a bank with outer ditch but these are only extant at the north-east corner. Elsewhere the bank followed the crest of the slope and now appears as a step-like scarping of that slope. Where it is best preserved the bank averages 7 m. wide and 0.8 m, with a ditch of equivalent dimensions. The transvere bank is visible for a length of c.40 m. and averages 8m wide and 2 m. high. There are traces of a ditch on the north side. No evidence of the junction of the west end with the bailey's bank is visible due to an overlying path and no evidence of a continuation to the east was seen. No traces of stone or other structures were seen.
A 25" survey has been made. . (5)
See OS sketch.
The site is covered in dense undergrowth and trees. (6)
Grid ref centred.
See M2561 for church, M2562 for deserted village, M2564 for park.

<1> VCH, 1906, Notts, p 305 (Published document). SNT1383.

<2> Thoroton Society, 1903, TTS, p 130 (Published document). SNT330.

<3> Boulton HE, 1965, The Sherwood Forest Book, p 41 (Published document). SNT1137.

<4> DOE, 1949, AM7 (Unpublished document). SNT56.

<5> Woodhouse WC, 1959, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1437.

<6> Dodd A, 1988, AM107 (Unpublished document). SNT620.

<7> Seaman BH, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1252.

<8> David J Cathcart King, 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum: An Index and Bibliography of the Castles in England, Wales and the Islands (Volume II: Norfolk-Yorkshire and the Islands), p. 379 (Published document). SNT6155.

<9> DOE, 1978, Anc Mons 3 Eng (Published document). SNT6152.

<10> Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

Sketch, OS, SMR

<11> Historic England, 2021, National Record of Historic Environment (Digital archive). SNT5271.