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 too zoo 3oo CASTLE MOUNT AND MOAT, GILMORTON
