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Summary - not yet available

Monument Types

• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Med, Medieval to Tudor - 1135 AD to 1546 AD)

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 14: Cuckney motte and bailey castle

Full description

Thomas de Cuckney built a castle at Cuckney in Stephen's reign (1135-54). The motte is at the W end of the churchyard. The N boundary of the churchyard follows an earth bank. A bank in the churchyard, running S from the N boundary and W of the church tower may have divided the inner and outer bailey. There are no remains of the E or S sides. An adulterine castle. (1)
The remains of a motte and bailey. St Mary's church has been erected within the bailey and this, together with subsequent graves, has destroyed any surface evidence of former internal structures. The perimeter ditch is well preserved to the W of the motte but there is no trace of the bailey ditch to the E suggesting the possibility that the work was never completed. (3)
Low platform and motte with 2 or more bridges and a second moat on the N side. The motte and centre bailey is walled in from the moat and is a churchyard, there being graves all over the site. The church is under repair and has a Norman arch with dogtooth decoration. Pits are being dug in the aisle, in connection with the repairs. (4)
St Mary's Parish Church of Norton and Cuckney has Med work of some pretension and has received severe restoration. The churchyard is over the entire motte and bailey and is a disgrace, as it is unmown with undergrowth 2m high covering earthworks and extensive churchyard tombstones. (5)
See M4415 for church, L8707 for burials.

Data Held: Aerial Photograph (Aerial photograph). SNT2645.

DNR 1538/12

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

3 colour print, B62/1,2, SMR

<1> Thoroton Society, 1951, TTS, pp 27-8 (Published document). SNT365.

<2> Renn D, 1973, Norman Castles of Britain - 2nd edition, p 161 (Published document). SNT1185.

<3> Colquhoun FD, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT582.

<4> DOE, AM7 - undated, no author (Unpublished document). SNT52.

<5> Hart CR, 1984, AM107 (Unpublished document). SNT754.

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