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Name:JOHN O'GAUNT'S HILL, Medieval manor site
HER No.:510
Type of Record:Monument

Summary

Oval motte or moated manor site

Grid Reference:TL 220 477
Parish:SUTTON, MID BEDFORDSHIRE, BEDFORDSHIRE
Map:Show location on GoogleMaps

Full Description

The site comprises an oval mound 91.5m by 64m, standing 4.5m in height above surrounding land. There is a ditch on the west side, but this fades out towards the east, as the north was defended by a natural marsh. Access to the mound is by a causeway across the north west corner of the ditch, but there is no evidence for this being an original entrance. The top of the mound has been flattened to convert it for use as the 17th green of Sutton golf course.

The manor belonged at one period to Henry, Earl of Derby, the sone of John of Gaunt, and the mound may have been constructed at this time; it is probably a genuine motte, being in the appropriate position in relation to the church and the village. Fragments of roof tile have been found on the south of the mound, possibly from a "pheasantry" shown on the OS First Edition, and there are reports of animal bone and pieces of armour being found during golf course works.

The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (County No 39).

Protected Status:

  • Scheduled Monument 39: John O'Gaunts Hill

Monument Types

  • CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MANOR HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

  • FBD1209 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Small quantity) (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • FBD495 - ARMOUR (Small quantity) (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)

Associated Events: None recorded

Sources and Further Reading

---SBD10507 - Photograph: BCC Photographic Unit. F221/30, 32
---SBD10508 - Slide: HER Slide Archive. 5100
---SBD10533 - Bibliographic reference: Nikolaus Pevsner. 1968. Buildings of England, Bedfordshire and the County of Huntingdon and Peterborough. p 153
---SBD10536 - Aerial Photograph: 1945-1955. RAF Aerial Photos. 1947: HA 10, 11; IA 3-6
---SBD10551 - Unpublished document: Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents. BLARS: OS 6", 1881
---SBD10574 - Article in serial: 1908. Victoria County History, Bedfordshire. Vol 1, p 300
---SBD10593 - Aerial Photograph: Cambridge AP index. BWI 52 (23/1/1976) TL 221476
---SBD10637 - Aerial Photograph: 1968. Hunting Aerial Photos 1968. 17/7678; 18/4859
---SBD10652 - Aerial Photograph: 1976. Hunting Aerial Photos 1976. 3/1962
---SBD10706 - Bibliographic reference: Wadmore. 1920. Earthworks of Bedfordshire. pp 173-175
---SBD10803 - Scheduling record: English Heritage. SAM record form. County no. 39
---SBD10854 - Unpublished document: Bedfordshire Local History Library document. 942.565, Newspaper Cuttings, p 21
---SBD11117 - Unpublished document: OS: TL 24. TL 24 NW 2
---SBD11118 - Bibliographic reference: C E Prior. 1881. The Earthworks of Bedfordshire. p 174