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CHER Number: | 04831 |
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Type of record: | Monument |
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Name: | Cambridge Castle: Civil War earthworks |
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Summary
Curtain of castle bailey remodelled to form three bastions during 1642-3 when Cambridge was the Headquarters of Eastern Counties Assoc. Two bastions survive N. and E.
Grid Reference: | TL 446 592 |
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Parish: | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire |
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| Castle, Cambridge City |
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Monument Type(s):
- DITCH (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
- MOAT? (Medieval to 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Events:
- Augur survey and test pit at the Castle Inn, Cambridge, 1994 (Ref: CAM CI 94)
- Ground Penetrating Radar at Shire Hall, Cambridge in 2019 (Ref: MSTL549)
Protected Status:
- Scheduled Monument () 1006886: Civil War Earthworks at the Castle
Full description
Cambridge Castle.
1. The loan of a machine enabled us to trench the expected site of a ditch around Cambridge Castle, in advance of the new hostel buildings for Clare College. This gave a section at right angles to the ditch in two places and showed that it was originally water-filled. The Norman ditch had been reused by Cromwell and all artefacts noted were P Med.
2. Consent for reseeding a section of the grounds
3. An augur survey at the Castle Inn encountered the line and western edge of the Castle Ditch to the rear of the present building. The western edge appears to rise up towards the back wall of the Castle Inn whilst the greatest depth reached, 4m, was beneath the present garden. The bottom of the ditch and eastern edge were not encountered.
4. A steepstided 10m wide ditch, approx. 10m out from the base of the motte. The ditch was water logged and over 4m deep. Probably originally a spring fed moat. Other ditch cuts of lesser proportions also discovered further out from the motte, and were probably more recent. Probable that main ditch is contemporary with the Norman motte. No firm dating evidenc, which may be due to cleaning out and re-use by Edward and Oliver Cromwell. The land immediately SW of Cambridge Castle mound began to be developed in March 1989 to provide hostel accomodation to students of Clare College.
5. Ground penetrating radar undertaken in 2019 identified a number of substantial features in the Front Lawn tentatively associated with the former Civil War earthworks.
<1> Malim, T., 1990, Site visit observations (Verbal communication). SCB16572.
<2> DCMS (A. R. Middleton), 2001, Proposed works at civil war earthworks at the Castle, Cambridge (Scheduling record). SCB17356.
<3> Roberts, J., 1996, The Castle Inn, Castle Street, Cambridge. An Archaeological Assessment (Unpublished report). SCB18260.
<4> Malim, T. and Taylor, A., 1992, Cambridge Castle Ditch. TL44605925. PCAS 80: 1-6 (Article in serial). SCB18995.
<55> Rigby, W. & Carli, I., 2019, Geophysical Survey report of Shire Hall, Cambridge (Unpublished report). SCB67960.
Sources and further reading
<1> | Verbal communication: Malim, T.. 1990. Site visit observations. |
<2> | Scheduling record: DCMS (A. R. Middleton). 2001. Proposed works at civil war earthworks at the Castle, Cambridge. |
<3> | Unpublished report: Roberts, J.. 1996. The Castle Inn, Castle Street, Cambridge. An Archaeological Assessment. |
<4> | Article in serial: Malim, T. and Taylor, A.. 1992. Cambridge Castle Ditch. TL44605925. PCAS 80: 1-6. |
<55> | Unpublished report: Rigby, W. & Carli, I.. 2019. Geophysical Survey report of Shire Hall, Cambridge. |
Related records
01778 | Related to: Cambridge Castle (Monument) |
Documents
Related documents and web pages
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