MONUMENT NO. 345726

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Earthworks of two medieval moated enclosures and fishponds. One has been identified as the site of a castle or manor house, while the other contains the remains of possible stone pits dug at a later date.

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[ SP 88557700] site of [TI] Castle [G.T.]
[SP 88627712] Moat [G.T.]
[SP 88607691] Moat [G.T.] (1)

Nicholas de Segrave obtained licence to make a castle of his manor house at Barton in 4th.Edw.II.

The remaining earthworks consist of two disconnected enclosures having no common outworks. There are no traces of stonework. The pond between the enclosure has not the appearance of forming part of the original plan and the enclosures may be of different dates. (2-3)

West of Barton Seagrave Church are two rectangular, moated areas, of which the more southerly appears to be the site of the Castle.

The northerly work is essentially a square, now dry, moat, linked to a broad marshy ditch, which runs along the north side. The central island is taken up by 3 rectangular hollows, probably a building site.

On the outer, NE, corner is a low earthen mound. The southern moat is an irregular rectangle, partially dry and much mutilated. The large central island shows considerable disturbance, quite formless and without stone content yet the most likely site for the Castle or Manor House.

The two features are linked by a narrow, now dry, Ditch, and two, marshy, fishponds, one isolated, the other joining the southern moat; complete this most complex site. Resurveyed at 1/1250. (4-5)

Published surveys (latest 1969), revised. (6)

Barton Seagrave castle and fishponds (SP 88607691-88627712). Though often termed a castle the remains only suggest two simple moated enclosures. The S enclosure is undoubtedly that of the manor of Barton Hanred last mentioned as inhabited in 1433. The rectangular hollows within the N enclosure are probably ponds, though the reason for their form is unclear. RCHM plan and photographs. (7)

The fishponds appear to be used for fish breeding within the moated area. (8)

The southern moat was clearly constructed to hold water. The more northern moat is on the same alignment and consists of a square platform again with the intention of holding water. Excavation has suggested that the supposed fish breeding ponds are stone pits cut a later date. (9)

Listed by Cathcart King. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25", 1926.

( 2) General reference

Hist. of Ants. of Northants. Vol. 2, 1791, p.217. (J. Bridges).

( 3) edited by R M Serjeantson and W Ryland D Adkins 1906 The Victoria history of the county of Northampton: volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)414

( 4) The buildings of England

Northamptonshire 98-9

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 FRH 14-AUG-62

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F2 BHS 12-NOV-69

( 7) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1979 An inventory of the historical monuments in the County of Northampton. Volume II: archaeological sites in central Northamptonshire

Monument 14 Page(s)103-4

( 7a) Council for British Archaeology Group 9: South Midlands archaeology newsletter

6, 1976 Page(s)23-4

( 7b) Aerial photograph

A/P (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1925, 1238-9, 4350-2)

( 8) edited by F A Aberg 1978 Medieval moated sites

CBA research reportsVol.1 (1955)- no.17 Page(s)8

( 9) Council for British Archaeology Group 9: South Midlands archaeology newsletter

4, 1974 Page(s)25-6

(10) 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

Page(s)315

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