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

Summary

Extensive earthwork remains of a Motte and triple bailey castle , now in part mutilated. Grassed over building foundations were noted on top of the mound during field investigation in 1972. There has been slight soil robbery on the west face and the bailey defences though now slight, show evidence of having been more robust.

Full Description

A complex of earthworks around Manor Farm include the remains of a motte and bailey castle. The motte is situated to the north of the present house and is surrounded by other earthworks representing the bailey and alterations probably related to a later manor house.

The NHRE describes an earthwork (at SP 943629), situated north of Podington Manor House, consists of a circular motte, only slightly raised above the level of the top of the hill and probably originally surrounded by a ditch. It lies within an outer enclosure defended by a ditch with a parapet on the inner face, of which the NW angle is still visible. (1)

Motte and bailey type castle with an outer enclosure large enough to circumscribe the whole village. (2)

Extensive remains of a motte with triple bailey, now in part mutilated. Grassed over building foundations are visible atop the mound and there has been slight soil robbery on the west face;
the bailey defences, 'though now slight', show evidence of former robust construction. There is no ground evidence to support the suggestion, by Pevsner (2), that the village was formerly circumscribed by an earthwork. See annotated/revised 1:2500 published survey. (3)

C C Taylor, A E Brown, C C Taylor, A E Brown, Earthwork survey plan and commentary (Unpublished document).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

Field Investigator's comments, (3) F1 FDC 29-MAY-72 (Unpublished document). SBB12051.

HER Slide Archive, 2132 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 2840 (Slide). SBD10508.

HER Slide Archive, 2847 (Slide). SBD10508.

OS: SP 96, SP 96 SW 1, 27 (Unpublished document). SBD10872.

1902, OS 6" 1902, no ref (Cartographic materials). SBD10834.

1908, Victoria County History, Bedfordshire, Vol 2, no page ref (Article in serial). SBD10574.

Wadmore, 1920, Earthworks of Bedfordshire, (1) p. 165-7 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10706.

Nikolaus Pevsner, 1968, Buildings of England, Bedfordshire and the County of Huntingdon and Peterborough, (2) p. 135 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10533.

A Brown, 1987, Fieldwork for Archaeologists and Local Historians, pp 85-86 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10870.

Protected Status:

• SHINE: Motte & Bailey at Manor Farm

Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR (16th Century to Victorian - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PIT (16th Century to Victorian - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• POST HOLE (16th Century to Victorian - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WALL (16th Century to Victorian - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WELL (16th Century to Victorian - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• FBD7583 - POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• EBD261 - Archaeological Watching Brief at Manor Farm, Podington, Bedfordshire (Ref: 2005/15)
• EBB1069 - GREY'S FARM, PODINGTON; Watching Brief (Ref: E.09.3616)

Sources and Further Reading

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