Small circular motte & rectangular bailey, occupied to 12th/13th century. Partly excavated in 1970 before levelling
A small earthwork site which stood to the south east of the church of All Saints, Chalgrave, until 1970, when it was levelled. Before levelling, the site comprised a low motte standing 1.2m above the aurrounding ground, with a small bailey to the south. The motte was surrounded by a ditch, between 8m and 11m wide and 0.5m deep, and the bailey was defined by a ditch and low bank. The site was excavated in 1970 prior to levelling. Some evidence was found for activity before the construction of the motte, and the motte itself was extended. On its surface were pits, postholes and bands of metalling indicating occupation phases. The interior of the bailey was not excavated. The pottery retrieved indicated a date of occupation from the 11th to the 12th century.
The site may have been the early manor house, adjoining the church which belonged to the lords of the manor until 1185 when it, and some land, were granted to Dunstable Priory. The manor of Chalgrave as described in a document of 1386 is clearly not this site, as it included a chapel, moat and pond but with no reference to the church. It is likely that this site was abandoned in favour of a new site for the manor at around the same time that the church and land were given to Dunstable Priory.
Remains of a deserted settlement have been observed on aerial photographs, but subsequently ploughed out.
| --- | SBD10507 - Photograph: BCC Photographic Unit. Plan |
| --- | SBD10543 - Bibliographic reference: Bedfordshire Magazine. Vol 9, 1963-1965, p 8 |
| --- | SBD10551 - Unpublished document: Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents. BLARS: X325/66, Gurney notebook, 1922 |
| --- | SBD10569 - Bibliographic reference: Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal. Vol 6, 1971, pp 83-84 |
| --- | SBD10574 - Article in serial: 1908. Victoria County History, Bedfordshire. Vol 3, p 345 |
| --- | SBD10576 - Article in monograph: South Midlands Archaeology. Vol 17, 1987, pp 10-11 |
| --- | SBD10593 - Aerial Photograph: Cambridge AP index. LE 52-54 (13/4/1953) TL 101 272 |
| --- | SBD10595 - Aerial Photograph: NMR Aerial Photograph. TL 0027/1/162 (16/5/1973) |
| --- | SBD10607 - Newspaper Article: Dunstable Gazette. 26/9/1970 |
| --- | SBD10640 - Cartographic materials: 1960. OS 6" 1960. TL 0093 2738 |
| --- | SBD10681 - Serial: Bedfordshire Historical Record Society. Vol 5, 1920, p 168 |
| --- | SBD10684 - Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire Museum Documents. Notebook M1 (Misc), Gurney collection, c.1920s |
| --- | SBD10706 - Bibliographic reference: Wadmore. 1920. Earthworks of Bedfordshire. pp 157-159 |
| --- | SBD10769 - Bibliographic reference: Emmison. 1946. Bedfordshire Parish Registers. Vol 18, p Ai |
| --- | SBD10782 - Bibliographic reference: The Bedfordshire Archaeologist. Vol 1, No 2, 1955, pp 43-44 |
| --- | SBD10783 - Unpublished document: 1937. Bedfordshire Regional Planning Authority Report. p 188 |
| --- | SBD10788 - Bibliographic reference: Manshead Magazine/Journal. Vol 32, April 1992, pp 11-17 |
| --- | SBD10799 - Bibliographic reference: Medieval Settlement Research Group Annual Report. Vol 18, 1970, p 12 |
| --- | SBD10809 - Bibliographic reference: Bedfordshire Archaeology. Vol 18, 1988, pp 33-56 |
| --- | SBD10818 - Article in serial: CBA Group 9 Newsletter. No 1, 1971, pp 16-17 |
| --- | SBD10859 - Unpublished document: Manshead Archaeological Society. Index, TL 009 274 |
| --- | SBD10860 - Bibliographic reference: M Beresford, J G Hurst. 1972. Deserted Medieval Villages. p 183 (TL 010 270) |
| --- | SBD10879 - Unpublished document: OS: TL 02. TL 02 NW 16, 17 |
| --- | SBD10902 - Bibliographic reference: P Bigmore. 1979. Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Landscape. p 92 |
| --- | SBD10958 - Unpublished document: S R Coleman. S R Coleman. Notes on earthworks, Jan 1983 |
| --- | SBD11192 - Newspaper Article: J H Blundell. Toddington and District Cuttings. Article of 31/7/1894 |
| --- | SBD11193 - Bibliographic reference: V Pritchard. 1967. English Medieval Graffiti. p 1 |