MONUMENT NO. 364669

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DESCRIPTION

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Motte and bailey castle probably built in the 12th century with occupation extending into the 14th century. The motte was preceded by a timber structure.

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(TL 2297 0260) Motte & Bailey (NR).(1)

A motte and bailey castle "tentatively equated with a licence granted to Geoffrey de Mandeville (1141-2) by Stephen and Matilda successively", (2), (see plan (7) and illus card). Excavations began by J Kent in 1961-5 (only provisional reports so far) suggest a timber tower built on the old ground surface with a timbered entrance on the south, the mound then built up over this superstructure from spoil from the ditch, (2). Finds included plaster, lead sheets, bricks, Saxo-Norman pottery and bronze and iron objects. Although it is supposed the castle ceased at the fall of Geoffrey de Mandeville in 1143,(2), a quantity of 13th cent and some 14th cent pottery was discovered which suggests a longer occupation of the site.(4).(2-7)

The work is generally as described by C.Lee Davis and the R.C.H.M. It has been heavily mutilated by chalk quarrying and is in fairly poor condition.
Excavations on the site are in progress under the direction of Dr. Kent of the British Museum, and an interim report is to be published soon, but indications so far suggest that there was some form of building on the site prior to the construction of the motte. The entrance to the inner bailey appears to have been on the S.W. side where there is a causeway across the ditch and a break in the rampart accompanied by two mounds (? gate-houses). A causeway on the N side is probably modern as also is the break in the SE side which is possibly an old quarry. Traces of the outer bailey are visible on the SE side in a field which is under plough. A rough rectangular area is enclosed by traces of a bank which is accompanied on the NE side by a ploughed down ditch.
Resurveyed at 1/2500. (8)

The earthwork is overgrown, and the excavation areas are still open. The banked and ditched enclosure to the south east of the bailey cannot be an outer bailey. It is incongruous to the plan and too regular in form to be considered contemporary.
Published survey(25") revised. (9)

TL 230026. Motte and bailey castle - Scheduled: Herts 83. (10)

Reconstruction drawing of the C12th motte. (11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1960

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1937 An inventory of the historical monuments in Middlesex

Page(s)95

( 3) General reference

Norman Castles in Britain 1968 314 (D Renn)

( 4) Bulletin of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society

12, Oct-1965 Page(s)3

( 5) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

5, 1961 Page(s)318

( 6) Aerial photograph

RAF 58/651 3075-6 April 1951

( 7a) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 7) London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society

C L Davis 7, 1933-7 Page(s)464-71

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F1 FGA 27-FEB-68

( 9) Field Investigators Comments

F2 JRL 08-AUG-75

(10) Scheduled Monument Notification

DoE (IAM) List Anc Mons 3 1978 52

(11) General reference

Clarke H 1984. The Archaeology of Mediaeval England. London: British Museum 126.

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