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Hertfordshire HER
.
| HHER Number: | 28 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | WAYTEMORE CASTLE, BISHOP'S STORTFORD |
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Summary
Norman motte & bailey of unusual design
Monument Types
- MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)
Protected Status
- Scheduled Ancient Monument 20628: WAYTEMORE CASTLE: A MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THE RIVER STORT
- SHINE: Waytemore Castle, Bishop's Stortford
- 'A' Site
- Listed Building (I) 160900: REMAINS OF WAYTEMORE CASTLE
- Area of Archaeological Significance 99
- Sensitivity Map: B Sortford Med Town & Castle
Full description
11th century motte and bailey castle with a motte of unusual sub-rectangular plan, retaining the masonry remains of a shell keep. The bailey to the south has been much remodelled, as in the 19C the castle was part of the grounds of a private house owned by the Taylor family, and became a public park in 1907 <2>. Built by William I, the castle was an early stronghold of the Bishops of London <1>. It had a prison from the early 13th century [13250], the foundations of which were discovered in 1850 <2>. Burials [4227, 9812], have been found in the bailey which probably relate to the prison. Roman coins [1339], have also been found in the grounds. The castle masonry is said to incorporate Roman tegulae, some with flanges <3>. Only the motte is Scheduled <4>.
The moat was cleaned out in 2004, part of works to improve water flow since the diversion of the river in 1968 <7>.
Sources and further reading
| <1> | Bibliographic reference: VCH Herts vol.4 (1914). - p150 |
| <1> | Bibliographic reference: RCHM 1910. - p63 |
| <2> | Article in serial: T B S. 1938. Bishop's Stortford: discovery of human remains; Trans East Herts Archaeol Soc 10 (1937-9), 226-7. |
| <2> | Article in serial: J L Glasscock. 1899. Stortford Castle; East Herts Archaeol Soc Trans 1/1, 45-55. |
| <3> | Cartographic material: OS Maps annotated by Major Brinson, March 195?. |
| <4> | Scheduling record: Scheduled Monument description. |
| <5> | Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. Motte & bailey, Waytemore Castle, Bishop's Stortford. PNO 3565 |
| <6> | Bibliographic reference: Renn, Derek. 1971. Medieval castles in Hertfordshire. - p23 |
| <7> | Unpublished document: Pepper, A T. 2004. River Stort at Bishops Stortford - Castle moat. RNO 2218 |
Related records
| 13250 | Parent of: APPROXIMATE SITE OF PRISON, WAYTEMORE CASTLE, BISHOP'S STORTFORD (Monument) |
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