This motte is part of a group of fortifications which follow the Teme valley and were probably built to defend this main route from the central marches into Wales and vica versa. There are two possible periods for the construction of this motte. The doomsday book records the area as being amongst the group of manors held by Osbern le Scrob of Richards Castle. His father is known to have been given lands around here by Edward the Confessor in the 1040's. It is a possibility that he put up a castle here to guard the N of his estates, not only from Welsh marauders, but possibly also from other greedy Marcher Lords. The second suggested date is much later. It is known that a knight called Brian Brampton was empowered by various Marcher Lords with the defence of this area following Welsh raids which saw the sacking of Knighton castle and town in 1213. A group of castles, including Bryn Castell at Knighton, Stanage?, Brampton Bryan, and possibly Walford and Bucton could all date from about 1215.