If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Substantial motte with 2 attached baileys, and other associated enclosures. Evidence of stone structures

Full Description

The site lies on the east side to the village of Yielden, and comprises the remains of a medieval castle motte with baileys to the north and west, and a series of banked and ditched enclosures to the east. The motte is steep-sided and roughly oval in plan, measuring approx 55m by 70m around the base and 18m by 40m at the top. The top is on two levels, the lower, to the south, forming a D-shaped platform approx 5.5m above the level of the western bailey. To the north the level rises by approx 2m, to form a roughly square platform approx 10m square, and surrounded by a low bank. This area was excavated in 1881 and robbed out foundations were found, apparently for a keep or tower. A broad ditch or moat surrounds the motte and the western bailey, indicating a single period of construction for these features. The ditch varies between 15m and 25m wide and averages 1.5m deep. It encloses a roughly rectangular area, 90m by 45m, with the motte protruding from the north eastern corner. The western bailey contains low earthworks thought to indicate the presence of buildings, and was originally surrounded by a rampart; trenching in the bailey in 1881 uncovered remains of stone foundations, and of a retaining wall around the inside of the rampart. The second bailey lies to the north west of the motte, outside the moat, and is thought to belong to a slightly later phase in the development of the castle. The bailey is roughly triangular, approx 110m by 70m, and is partly surrounded by a rampart on its north eastern and western sides. On the north eastern side there is also a ditch surviving, which at its eastern end joins the moat near to the motte, but is approx 1m shallower than the moat. The bailey contains several building platforms, and at its northern end a possible fishpond.

The ditch running down the western side of the site has been considerably altered in medieval and modern times. It is thought to have been formed from the original course of the River Til. During the occupation of the site, but probably at a late date when defence was no longer a priority, the ditch was widened at its southern end to create a fishpond. The watercourse now runs along the centre of the pond earthwork. To the west of the pond a bank approx 1m high, 10m wide and 120m long runs parallel to the watercourse. The remains of a medieval dam can be seen at the southern end of the pond, and nearby a small island, on which foundations were found in 1882. The remains were interpreted as a dovecot.

The fishpond construction suggests a change from defensive to manorial occupation, and this is also indicated by the series of enclosures or paddocks lying to the east of the motte. These are defined by ditches, some accompanied by low banks. The eastern side of the paddocks is defined by a ditch running north east to south west, but the western edge varies as it is defined by the moat and fishpond. To the south of the paddocks is an area of ridge and furrow, somewhat reduced by modern ploughing.

At the time of Domesday Yielden was one of seven parishes held by Geoffrey de Trailly, and later became the centre of the barony of Trailly; the castle is thought to have been its focus. It remained in the possession of the Trailly family throughout the 12th and 13th centuries but by 1360 is recorded as derelict.

The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (No. 27111).

A Simco, A Simco, OS with sketches plotted from APs, 1977 (Unpublished document). SBD10509.

Associated Architectural Societies Reports, Vol 16, pp 251-264 (Article in serial). SBD10756.

BCC Photographic Unit, F121/4-5 (Unpublished document). SBD10507.

BCC Photographic Unit, F230/23, 25 (Unpublished document). SBD10507.

Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol 8, pp 127, 347 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10543.

C C Taylor, A E Brown, C C Taylor, A E Brown, Earthwork survey plan (Unpublished document). SBD10871.

C C Taylor, C C Taylor, Survey plan, 1:1250, and notes (Unpublished document). SBD10961.

Cambridge AP index, AWO 54-56 (20/1/1969) TL 014 669 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, AWU 86-90 (2/2/1969) TL 014 670 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, BIJ 16 (3/5/1972) TL 013 668 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, BIJ 17-18 (3/5/1972) TL 014 669 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, BIJ 19 (3/5/1972) TL 015 668 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, BLD 59-65 (28/11/1972) TL 014 669 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, BWA 10-13 (5/9/1975) TL 014 669 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, CFP 62-64 (11/4/1978) TL 014 670 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, CHX 18-20 (3/1/1979) TL 013 670 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, FG 58-62 (14/7/1950) TL 014 669 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, FS 43-48 (16/6/1951) TL 014 669 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, NT 4-8 (26/4/1954) TL 013 671 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Cambridge AP index, SD 93-96 (6/4/1956) TL 014 670 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Correspondence, Letter from J K St Joseph, 29/11/1971 (Unpublished document). SBD10802.

Correspondence, Planning consent letters 1980 (Unpublished document). SBD10802.

HER Slide Archive, 1703-1707 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 2226-2234 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 2839-2840 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 5062 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 5131-5132 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 6660-6662 (Slide). SBD10508.

Northants CC APS, 3009/11 and 13 (25/1/1986) TL 013 670 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10646.

Northants CC APS, Slide 5062 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10646.

OS: TL 06, TL 06 NW 4 (Unpublished document). SBD11040.

S Lysons, Plan, 18th cent, BM Add Mss 9460 (Unpublished document). SBD11041.

S R Coleman, S R Coleman, Notes on watching brief, Oct 1982 (Unpublished document). SBD10958.

English Heritage, SAM record form, No 27111 (Scheduling record). SBD10803.

D & S Lysons, 1806, Magna Britannica, no page ref (Unpublished document). SBD10689.

1908, Victoria County History, Bedfordshire, Vol 1, pp 289-291 (Article in serial). SBD10574.

1908, Victoria County History, Bedfordshire, Vol 3, p 176 (Article in serial). SBD10574.

Wadmore, 1920, Earthworks of Bedfordshire, pp 145-149 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10706.

1937, Bedfordshire Regional Planning Authority Report, p 188 (Unpublished document). SBD10783.

1968, Hunting Aerial Photos 1968, 7/8749 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10637.

1974, Hunting Aerial Photos 1974, 14/1224 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10649.

A Brown, 1987, Fieldwork for Archaeologists and Local Historians, p 110 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10870.

Protected Status:

• Scheduled Monument 1013520: Yielden Castle: a motte and bailey castle, fishponds and associated enclosures
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of Yielden Castle

Monument Type(s):

• BUILDING (11th Century to 14th Century - 1086 AD to 1360 AD)
• CASTLE (11th Century to 14th Century - 1086 AD to 1360 AD)
• MOAT (11th Century to 14th Century - 1086 AD to 1360 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• EBB1112 - YIELDEN CASTLE; Excavation

Sources and Further Reading

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.