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Hertfordshire HER
.
Late 11th century motte and bailey, with 12th century keep, and 1832 mock Norman gatehouse
Low, square motte with semi-circular bailey to NE. On E side of motte are the remains of a flint keep possibly begun c.1136, destroyed 1212, with walls standing 2.5m high. A wide ditch surrounds the motte on S & E, landscaped to N & W <1>. The Gatehouse, in Norman style, of stone and flint, was built in 1832 <2>. The remains of earthworks containing medieval pottery were found outside the nearby churchyard [12009] <3>.
The original earthworks may have been dug for Peter de Valognes, sheriff in 1086; his son, Roger, probably erected the masonry castle c1136. It passed to Robert fitz-Walker on his marriage at the end of the 12th century and was destroyed when he was outlawed in 1212 <4>. See <4> for the condition of the remains.
| --- | Article in serial: Renn, D F. 1961. Antiquaries Journal vol.41, 96-7. |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Gatehouse folly, Benington Lordship. PNO 20365 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Gatehouse folly, Benington Lordship. PNO 20366 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20367 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Gatefouse folly, Benington Lordship. PNO 20368 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Gatehouse folly, Benington Lordship. PNO 20369 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20370 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20371 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20372 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20373 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20374 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20375 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20376 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20377 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20378 |
| --- | Photograph: HCC (General/Archaeology). 1998. Benington Lordship. PNO 20379 |
| --- | Index: OS Records. |
| --- | Bibliographic reference: Renn, Derek. 1971. Medieval castles in Hertfordshire. p14 |
| --- | Bibliographic reference: Renn, D F. 1968. Norman castles in Britain. p105 |
| <1> | Bibliographic reference: VCH Herts vol.2 (1908). p112 |
| <2> | Bibliographic reference: House & Garden March 1998. |
| <3> | Report: Rook, Tony. 2002. An archaeological appraisal of the site of a proposed burial ground at Benington. Archaeological assessment. RNO 1209 |
| <4> | Unpublished document: National Monuments Record. NMR Monument Report (Hertfordshire). RNO 2347 p117 |