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Summary

Antiquarian references dating back to 1724 describe a camp about a mile and a half north of Leighton Buzzard and variously dated as Roman or British. The Enclosure Map of 1841 for Heath and Reach shows a large roughly oval area subdivided into small closes, all called Craddocks, surrounded by open heathland to the north, west and south and bounded by a substantial holloway to the east called Craddocks Lane. The earliest known references to the name Craddocks date from 1393/4 and 1496/7: it is an unusual name for Bedfordshire - derived from Caradog? The site's origins are likely to have been as a single ditch and bank earthwork, probably of Iron Age date, enclosing a large hilltop area. Much later this was subdivided internally, as apparent on the Enclosure Map. However, following the reorganisation of boundaries at and after Enclosure in 1841, ensuing agriculture and the incorporation of the site into a golf course in the 20th century most of the original boundary and its earthworks have now been destroyed although traces of the bank and ditch on its north western edge were visible in the early 1980's within the golf course, the ditch being utilised as a bunker.

Full Description

<1> John Britton & Edward Wedlake Brayley, 1801, The Beauties of England and Wales, Volume 1, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, p. 37, https://archive.org/details/beautiesofenglan01brit/page/36/mode/2up (Bibliographic reference). SBD10810.

"About half a mile from this place [Leighton Buzzard] are the remains of a Roman camp."

<2> Royal Archaeological Institute, Archaeological Journal, Vol. 39, 1882, p. 290; p. 36 in reprint (W. T. Watkin) (Article in serial). SBD10785.

Pointer (Brit. Rom., 1724, 54) & Gough (1806, ii, 56) name a camp c. half mile from Leighton Buzzard as Roman, but its confirmation refutes the statement.

<3> Daniel & Samuel Lysons, 1806, Magna Britannia, p. 35 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10689.

Near Leighton Buzzard, on the heath in an enclosure, nearly circular, containing several fields surounded by a ditch, which in many parts is deep, and has a good deal the appearance of having been a camp.

<4> Worthington G. Smith, 1894, Man, The Primeval Savage, p. 322 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10778.

There was once a large circular camp on the Heath north of Leighton Buzzard, but it was destroyed when the Heath was enclosed.

<5> Worthington G. Smith, 1904, Dunstable: Its History and Surroundings, pp. 43, 59 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10781.

A destroyed circular camp was formerly on the Heath near Leighton Buzzard. Resembled Maiden Bower, but completely levelled in 1798 enclosures. No trace remains, except name of field - "Craddocks". North west of Sandy Lane, in fields south west of Heath and Reach. Nearest banks quarter mile west of large pond on west of Heath and Reach Road. British.

<6> William Page & H. Arthur Doubleday (Editors), 1908, Victoria County History Vol II, Bedfordshire, Vol. II, 1908, p. 8, and Vol. 3, 1912, p. 402 (Bibliographic reference). SBD13981.

About 1.5 miles north of Leighton Buzzard, remains of circular earthwork like Maiden Bower once existed in field called "Craddocks" near St. Leonard's Church. Entirely destroyed making enclosures about 100 years ago. Camden and others called it Roman, though from its shape it was probably British (Camden, Brit., ed. Gough, ii, 56; Pointer, Brit. Rom., 54; Brayley, BEW I, 37; Arch. 39, 287).

<7> Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Vol. 5, 1920, pp. 178-179 (F.G. Gurney) (Serial). SBD10681.

100 years ago, a Norman 'motte' and castle yard, not far away on Leighton side, now remains no trace.

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

<8> The Bedfordshire Archaeologist, Vol. 2, 1959, pp. 32-33 (J. F. Dyer) (Bibliographic reference). SBD10782.

Bagshawe Collection in Luton Museum: W. G. Smith's annotated 6" O.S. map - at highest point of Craddocks Field - "Old Mrs. Bassett thinks the great round camp was here". Destroyed c. 1790.
Field survey last winter: much destroyed by golf course. Quarry between site and Church. Quarry bounded on west side by a 5' high bank and ditch 50' wide x 14' deep; 100 yards long, recently filled at 2 points for quarry access. Probably old road from Leighton Buzzard to Reach, originally "Craddocks Lane".

<10> J. Fowkes, R. Legg, 1980, Monumenta Britannica, parts I and II, 1621-97 (John Aubrey), 359 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10811.

From Leighton Buzzard (corruptly from Beaudesert) about half a mile distant is a Roman camp. E. Wyld esq.

<11> Rev. Jos. Stevenson, 1851, Old Times at Leighton Buzzard, p. 8 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10804.

Near the town, on the Heath, was an enclosure nearly circular, containing several fields surrounded by a ditch, which in some places was of considerable depth. There are probably many in the room who remember it. The enclosure of the Heath has now, I understand, nearly obliterated the outline.

<12> Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society, 1916, Records of Buckinghamshire, Vol. 10, 1916, p. 271 (F. G. Gurney) (Bibliographic reference). SBD14324.

Report on Annual Excursion (included Totternhoe Castle).
Little more than 100 years ago there existed near Leighton Buzzard a fort of the same date and character, [as Totternhoe] unfortunately quite destroyed at the time of the great enclosures. This has always been described as a circular town-site of the same kind as Maiden Bower, but not long since I found a plan of it which conclusively proves it of Norman construction, with the same ditched mound and rectangular castle-yard as Totternhoe.

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

<13> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: X325/107, Diary, 1916 (F. G. Gurney) (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Leighton Buzzard - "for the only places I could fix upon as possible sites for the Norman mound and court castle which is planned in Lyson's sketch book in the British Museum, were this same rise [Lamsie Knoll just opposite Nag's Head Inn in Church Street (formerly Brickhill Road)] and the hill-top near Rushmere pond."

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

<14> Robert Richmond, 1928, Leighton Buzzard and Its Hamlets, p. 2 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10548.

An early work at Craddocks (in the fields south west of Heath Church) is said to have been destroyed at the time of an early Inclosure of the Common Land. 1844 map shows a decided circular enclosure extending from Penfold Pond to the Brickhill Road. No authentic record of the earthwork.
Supplemental Notes 1913-14:
[Quotes Gurney's notes in Records of Bucks. (ref. 12) and then:]
The plan is taken from a MS. by Lysons in the British Museum, and gives a plan and sections of the fort in great detail. The principal dimensions are given, and a note says that there is a 'steep smooth hill' on the south west, and that 'the base of the mound has come quite to the edge - only a small platform.'
Possible site - hill opposite Rushmere but nearer Picket Lodge, but difficulties with this. Total length of mound and castle yard given as 750 ft. and width 264 ft. Difficult to identify the site - may not be Craddocks.

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

<15> Notebook in Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury, Notebook: "Eaton Bray, Vol. iiii", 1912, p. 89 (F. G. Gurney) (Unpublished document). SBD11047.

[Gurney comments on Totternhoe Castle and then:-]
"There was a closely similar work at Heath near Leighton, which a mistake in the printed work of Lyson's Magna Britannia (Beds. Vol. 1) has been since taken as destroyed by the enclosures of 1798 and to have been a large circular 'pound' like Maiden Bower and of prehistoric (British) date. I find it still existed in part, though the two ditches defending the rectangular court have been destroyed by ploughing. The other long side is defended as at Totternhoe by the steep edge of the hill. A part of the circular court and mound still remain, overgrown and almost invisible by a thicket of furze and broom…… The hill on which it stands is still called Craddocks."
[Gurney has then added at some later date an important note:-]
"No. I have since traced out this bank and ditch. It encloses a very large area, and was apparently no fortification of any kind. The plan in Lysons which I took for a castle work at Leighton was intended for a plan of Totternhoe. The Leighton trench, though unusually wide, seems merely to have been the fence of Sir C. Hoddesdon's park made early in the 17th century or late in the 16th."
[Photocopy of p.65 from Notebook.]

<16> Stephen R. Coleman, Comments, December 1980 (Observations and Comments). SBD10779.

Many misunderstandings and misconceptions seem to have arisen concerning this hilltop site. Certainly earthworks existed here where the main enclosing boundary of the Craddocks area to the west of Craddocks Lane was of a rounded nature as shown on the 1841 Enclosure Map (MA 62) - this corresponding to the position of the earthworks recognised at least in part in the past. This earthwork boundary separated Craddocks from The Heath (which surrounded it to the north, west and south) and enclosed a group of old enclosures numbered 157-165 on the 1841 map (MA62, Enclosure Map). All these bore the same Craddocks name. Fieldnames from documents in the County Record Office suggest that these existed as old enclosures well before the late 18th century which seems to refute the idea that some enclosure took place here at this time (during parish survey work no other evidence has been found to support this). However, the fact that the several enclosures all bear the same name suggests that they are later subdivisions of the earlier large enclosing feature. The earliest mentions of the name would appear to be in a Court Roll entry of 1393/4 – Craddokes - and a Bailiff's Account of 1496/7 which refers to a close called Cradocks.

It seems that at Craddocks there was once a large sub-circular enclosure consisting of a simple single bank and ditch enclosing a considerable hill top area. At some time this was subdivided into fields by the laying out of additional boundaries. The majority of this has now been destroyed by (a) the reorganisation of boundaries at and after the 1841 Enclosure, (b) agriculture, and, more recently, (c) the occupation of the whole site by the Golf Course. The major remaining earthwork feature is the sunken former Craddocks Lane at the east of the site. No evidence has been found to provide a possible date of origin or purpose for the site. Gurney's suggestion (in Ref. 15) that the earthworks may have been the 17th century manorial park boundary meets with the difficulty that this park can be proved to have existed a little further to the northwest - the area called Lords Hill numbered 213 on the Enclosure Map (see HER 10872). Fortunately Gurney, also in Ref. 15, retracted his earlier suggestion that this was the site of a motte and bailey castle after realising the misidentification of an illustration.

Traces of the old boundary earthworks in the Craddocks area taken over by the Golf Course can be seen on some of the RAF aerial photos e.g. PB1-2. The curving boundary at the south west corner seems to have left no trace since enclosure however. Nothing remains on the ground of this today.

<17> Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 34, 1764, p. 60 (Article in serial). SBD10741.

Near Leighton Buzzard are the remains of a Roman camp.

<18> J. D. Parry, 1831, History and Description of Woburn and its Abbey, p. 1 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10713.

About 4 miles from Woburn, on the road to and in the parish of Leighton Buzzard, is an enclosed mound, supposed to have been originally either a British or a Roman encampment; but of the origin of this there is no certain testimony.

<19> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 8, 1961-1963, p. 113 (J. F. Dyer) (Serial). SBD10543.

Quotes Lysons. Plateau camp.

<20> Bedfordshire Archaeological Council, 1976, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal, Volume 11, Vol. 11, 1976, pp. 9-11 (Article in serial). SBD14121.

Destroyed hillfort at Craddock's Camp.

Destroyed by golf-course, but description "like Maiden Bower" suggests univallate plateau-fort offering corral for cattle, high on the greensand.

<21> Camden, ed Gibson, Britannia, p. 291 (Article in serial). SBD10813.

About half a mile from [Leighton Buzzard] is a Roman camp.

<22> Archives of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, XV.61. 60 (Unpublished document). SBD10814.

Bailiff's Account of 1496/7:- under Heath and Reach section refers to close called Cradocks.

<23> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Record Cards, OS: SP 92 NW 4 (Unpublished document). SBD10879.

SP91942759 ?IA Enclosure (site of), ?motte and bailey.

(Centred at SP 91942759) Circular earthwork, suggested as Iron Age. (Plotted from sketch map). - Letter and sketch map (R. W. Bagshawe 8/3/1959).

No trace on air photographs - Letter in reply (C. W.Phillips 17/3/1959).

R1 JWS 20/03/1959

About a mile and a half north of (Leighton Buzzard), the remains of a circular eathwork like Maiden Bower (SP 92 SE 6) once existed in a field called 'Craddocks' near St. Leonard's Church. It was entirely destroyed in making inclosures about a hundred years ago. Camden and others have called it Roman though from the shape it was probably British - VCH Herts., 2, 1908, p.8.
a. Camden's Britannia (ed. Gough, 2, p. 56).

Fieldwalking has revealed no trace of "Craddocks Camp". Gurney suggests that this was the site of a Norman motte and a large castle yard, destroyed about 1820. - Beds. Arch., 2. 1959, pp. 32-3 (J. F. Dyer).
b. Beds. Hist. Rec. Soc., 5, p. 178 (F. G. Gurney).

R2 CDA 7/4/1981

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

<24> Stephen R. Coleman, Comments, Plan (Observations and Comments). SBD10779.

Original area of Craddocks marked on 1980's O.S. 25" map base.

<25> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 346518 (Index). SBD12367.

A destroyed circular enclosure near `Craddock's' field has been interpretted as a possible Iron Age enclosure, but Gurney suggests that this was the site of a Norman motte and a large castle yard, destroyed about 1820.

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

<26> The Bedfordshire Archaeologist, Vol. 2, 1959, pp. 32-3 and Figure (James F. Dyer) (Bibliographic reference). SBD10782.

'In Search of "Craddock's Camp", Heath and Reach'
The earthwork known as Craddock's Camp at Heath and Reach seems to be something of an anomaly. There are references to it in nineteenth century and earlier literature and yet nothing is really known about it. The site has long been destroyed and our only clues as to its whereabouts are references by Worthington Smith in the "Victoria County History" and on his 6" Ordnance Maps preserved in the Bagshawe Collection at Luton Museum. In the VCH he wrote: "about a mile and a half north of Leighton Buzzard the remains of a circular earthwork like Maiden Bower once existed in a field called "Craddock's" near St. Leonard's Church. At the highest point of the field (spot height 386 feet) he has sketched on his map the approximate position of the camp with the words "Old Mrs. Bassett thinks the great round camp was here". Mrs. Bassett, unless a centenarian, must have been relying on local tradition for her information, for Smith also tells us that the camp had been destroyed a hundred years previously in making inclosures. (c. 1790).
During the past winter the writer cxarried out a field survey in the neighbourhood of "Craddock's", now a Golf Course, in the hope of tracing some vestige of this earthwork. The surface has been much disturbed by golf bunkers and tees and as Smith wrote: "no trace of the camp remains". Only a proton magnetometer or a soil resistivity survey is likely to reveal its buried ditches. The site chosen by Mrs. Bassett seems the most likely one. It would have commanded a wide area and is bounded by steep slopes on the north and north-west sides. The origin of the name Craddock's has not been explained, though it is likely to be derived from the historical name Caradog or Caractacus.
Separating Mrs. Bassett's site from St. Leonard's Church is a large modern sand quarry. This is bounded on its western side by a bank about five feet high and a wooded ditch fourteen feet deep and nearly fifty feet wide. The ditch runs for about one hundred yards north to south and has recently been filled at two points to allow access to the quarry. The ditch has every appearance of manual construction and the section [illustrated] shows a typical profile.
Whilst it has been suggested that the ditch is part of the "Craddock's" earthwork, there seems little doubt that it does in fact form part of an old road from Leighton Buzzard to Reach, originally known as Craddock's Lane. Richmond, in his book "Leighton Buzzard and Its Hamlets" refers to the 'Shepherd's Maze' near Craddocks Lane, and adds a sketch map of the maze with the words "Deeply sunken lane" on its eastern side. Smith has marked the ditch as an "old road to Leighton" on his 6 in. maps. Finally the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map dated 1823 shows the ditch as a clearly marked roadway running between enclosed fields from Leighton to Reach …..
It is perhaps worthy of note that Frederick G. Gurney, the Leighton Buzzard antiquary, in a paper on the 'Bounds of Linslade' (BHRS, V, p.178) refers to the Craddock's area as the site of a Norman 'motte' and a large castle yard, destroyed a hundred years ago (c. 1820).
Note: For a sketch-plan of the area, see Volume I, p. 122. The approximate Grid Reference to the centre of Craddock's is SP/920276.

[N.B. - see Ref. 15 for Gurney's own retraction of the motte and bailey suggestion].

Protected Status:

• Archaeological Notification Area
• SHINE: Earthworks of Iron Age Hillfort at Craddocks Camp

Monument Type(s):

• BOUNDARY BANK (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• BOUNDARY DITCH (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• HILLFORT (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• HOLLOW WAY (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Sources and Further Reading

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