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Summary

Substantial medieval motte & bailey castle, with subsidiary enclosures and fishponds. The castle was originally held by Nigel d'Albini, and originally consisted of the motte and inner bailey, with two outer baileys subsequently added; surrounded by a ditch 40ft wide. The castle was no longer in use as a residence by the time of the death of the last male d'Albini in 1272.

Full Description

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Record Cards, OS: TL 03 NE 10 (Unpublished document). SBD10879.

CAINHOE CASTLE, CASTLE HILLS. MOTTE & BAILEYS DMV (Rems of)
[TL 09793742] Castle Hill [TI] Cainhoe Castle [GT] (site of) (OS 6", 1960)
"Castle Hill: Visited by Torrington. Called Castle Hill, with a keep. Date, 30 May 1789." (VCH Beds Vol1, pp291-292 & 324; The earthworks of Bedfordshire, pp95-97 RH 19.9.50
Visited 11/3/63. A magnificent motte with complex baileys, carved out of a prominent and commanding knoll. There are traces of a DMV immediately to its SW. G. Stanhope-Lovell S/Svyr 12.3.63
Motte & complex baileys. The central mound is surrounded by a ditch 40ft wide, except to the north where it turns into a steep scarp. Entrance is on the west side. This fortress was evidently the head of the barony of 'Albini of Cainho'. BAH 18.12.72
A motte and complex of three baileys, situated under pasture and scattered undergrowth at the higher E end of a narrow W to E ridge. The area is known locally as Castle Hills. The flat low-lying ground to the N and E was evidently once marshy.
Natural steep slopes have been utilised as defences on the N side of the motte and largely form the rampart of the E bailey.
Quarrying has mutilated parts of the W bailey (1) ramparts and although the topography of the area suggests the 'main' entrance was on the W side, the mutilations mask positive indication of this. An earthen causeway across the S bailey ditch at TL 09823723 is of uncertain purpose, and could be a later feature.
To the W of the complex along the ridge, an area of disturbed ground forming no coherent pattern indicates former settlement, possibly contemporary with the motte.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. JRL 1.8.71

<2> 1937, Bedfordshire Regional Planning Authority Report, no page ref (Unpublished document). SBD10783.

This castle is supposed to have been an extensive Norman fortification. It possessed a motte & 3 baileys, and was used for military purposes in the civil wars.

<3> Beauchamp Wadmore, 1920, Earthworks of Bedfordshire, pp. 95-97 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10706.

Why anyone should go out of his way to describe this as a strong little Castle puzzles me. Strong it certainly is, but after Yielden, it yields pride of place to no other in the County as regards size.
It consists of a motte and three baileys. The motte is situated on the enceinte, facing north, and is protected by what was originally low-lying marshy ground. The construction of this work affords additional interest due to the intersections caused by the varying slopes, as the dry fosse surrounding the motte dies out on the slope of the north face of the baileys. On the south it is joined by another fosse, which divided the third bailey on the south from those on the east and the west.
As regards the bailey on the west, I am of opinion that it has been largely mutilated, and suggest that the crosses on the plan afford some clue to the shape of this bailey as originally planned. The letter "a" denotes a depression as found in other works and probably marks the site of the flying causeway to the top of the motte.
The bailey on the east presents to unusual feature except that it is on a slope, and that the scarp on the north is greater than that on any other face.
Finally, let us examine the bailey on the south. The south face presents a sharp scarp with a parapet on the top, and traces of a fosse at the bottom. In a corner nearest the motte marked "b" there exists a small crescent bank, as if at this point there was a tower covering the approaches through the fosses to the motte.
The whole of the fosses protecting and surrounding the work were dry except on the north and east, where marshy land occurs, the springs in which are of a chalybeate nature similar to those of the well-known inland watering place, Tunbridge Wells. The sand hill across the road is rich in haematite, by which the waters are no doubt impregnated.
The Church is some distance from the Castle.

<4> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: L329, Grant of rent, 1363 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Grant by John Seintercroiz to William de Risceby of annual rent of 6 pence from a messuage and croft which the latter lately acquired from John son of Richard Saly in the hamlet of Caynho abutting on the king's way form Syvelsho to Shefford.

<5> Torrington Diaries, 1781-1794: p. 99, 30 May 1789. (Bibliographic reference). SBD10959.

Within 2 miles from Chicksands, on the right, is castle Hill, with a keep & many Dykes, etc, but of the Record I never heard. (Sat May 30, 1789)

<6> Daniel & Samuel Lysons, 1806, Magna Britannia, pp. 69-70 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10689.

CLOPHILL: Manor belonged to Barons de Albini whose castle, the seat of their barony, was at Cainhoe. It appears to have been a place of considerable strength. The Keep, which is still called the Castlehill, is lofty, and overgrown with coppice-wood.

<7> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: MA 55 & Book N, Enclosure Award, 1826 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Field called "Castle Hill Close". Area of " bailey, and strip on land along N side of field shown as wood. Motte shown as 2 concentric circles.

<8> Post Office Directory, 1864, p. 317 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10597.

Castle Hill, about ¾ mile SE of the village, is supposed to have been an extensive Norman fortification; it was also used for military purposes during the Civil Wars.

<9> Associated Architectural Societies Reports, Vol. 18, 1886, pp. 162-175 (171-172) (Article in serial). SBD10756.

Cainhoe: 4/5 acres. Keep pretty overgrown (Lysons), 50 ft above marsh which formerly extended to E & N. Lysons: "keep lofty and overgrown with coppice wood". I failed to find what Leland called "vestigia castelli". Rev Bosanquet of Clophill writes me: "There is no sign of there having been anything like a castle there."
Inq PM 49 Edw III [1375/6] - John Dugenet - "The houses & buildings within the site are worth nothing beyond the reprise…..watermill, fishery, dovecote, cottages, etc"
I infer that there was at one time a castle here, i.e. a stone castle, fallen into disuse by 49 Edw III. Mound possibly crowned by wooden keep.

<10> William Page & H. Arthur Doubleday (Editors), 1904, Victoria County History Vol I, Bedfordshire, Vol. I, 1904, pp. 291-292 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10574.

Cainhoe Castle near Clophill. - This strong little work stands on a spur of high ground artificially scarped on the north down towards a small stream which partly envelops it, in old days probably making much marsh around it. The site is commanded by a superior height about 80 yards to the eastward. This may point to the construction of the place before the common use of siege engines.
The central mound is small compared with those already described, but its rounded shape rises well above all the rest of the defences, and it is surrounded by a deep fosse some 40 feet wide, except to the north, where it turns out into the steep scarp. This fosse could therefore never have held water. There are two considerable wards to the east and south, facing the superior heights, divided by a fosse which also continues along the greater part of this frontage, which is defended by a strong rampart. The entrance appears to have been on the west side, where the ground slopes to a re-entering angle, between a small mounded projection on the north and a large rounded platform, about 100 feet across, on the south. There are no signs of ramparts on either, but when stockaded they completely commanded the approach. They are separated from the mound and south ward by the interior moats, and are joined together at the rear by a small platform, slightly lower, which blocked the approach and may have formed the abutment for a flying bridge of timber to the keep-mound, as described in a passage relating to a French example, quoted by Mr G.T. Clark (Medieval Military Architect, 1884). If this entrance were forced, the assailants would find themselves under the necessity of moving round the deep inner ditches to attach the mound and several wards which towered above them, all of them no doubt with stockaded sides. A considerable portion of the lower slopes of the ground is enclosed by the outer enciente, with traces of rampart and ditch. At the western angle is a long piece of standing water towards which the outer lines are tending. There is no church or village here.

<11> Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Vol 19, 1937, pp. 114, 143 (Serial). SBD10681.

IPM - Simon de Aliniaco, 1273 - Cainhoe. Capital messuage & garden (p114)
Inquisition says nothing of castle, so it seems to have disappeared before 1272; it had probably never been more than a stockaded group of buildings. The earthworks have been surveyed (VCH & Wadmore), & are exceptionally strong for this countryside. No excavation has been made.
In account of partition between Simon's sisters (Cal. Cl. Rolls 1272-9, 27-9), hall with porch, chamber, cellar & various outbuildings went ot Isabel. (p143)

<12> Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs (CUCAP), Cambridge AP: Index, EA 81-85 (20/7/1949) (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

Castle earthworks TL 098 374.
FF 40-44 (14/7/1950) Castle Hill earthworks TL 098 374
AQV 14-16 (17/4/1967) Castle earthworks TL 098 374
ATT 15-21 (18/10/1967) Castle earthworks TL 098 374
AUA 18-22 (8/4/1968) Castle earthworks TL 098 374
AWH 23-35 (21/12/1968) Castle earthworks TL 098 374
BFI 91-98 (19/5/1971) Castle earthworks TL 098 374
BEN 21-24 (4/11/1970) Castle earthworks TL 098 374
BWI 67-68, 70-73 (23/1/1976) Cainhoe Castle, Clophill TL 098 374
CLC 50-53 (8/10/1979) Clophill Castle TL 098 374
CPT 50 (15/11/1982) Clophill Castle Tl 098 374

<13> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 9, no. 72, Spring 1965, p. 348 (Serial). SBD10543.

Mural in Clophill Old Church (BM 9, 215) must represent Cainhoe Castle, chief seat of d'Aubingny family. When last male died 1272, Joan, wife of Sir Roger Dakeney, took the castle with the manors of Cainhoe & Clophill [No - see BM 10, 85-87]. The castle had already ceased to be used as a residence & must have been dismantled soon after. Its site, recorded as such in 1530, is marked by a fine earthwork. The mural sketch is not medieval, and so must be purely imaginative.

<14> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 7, no. 55, 1960-1961, pp. 243-246 (Serial). SBD10543.

The earthwork suggest that Cainhoe was a real stone castle, but it is difficult to decide from the documentary evidence at what point the d'Albinis abandoned it for the site of the homestead now called Cainhoe Manor House. Was it form the castle or the manor house that Henry, son of Lady Isabella d'Albini, was drowned in the water called Piperille in 1216? A late Isabella d'Albini, wife of Hugh de St Croix, held the hall of Kaynho with porch, chamber & cellar, bakehouse, dove-cot & garden, enclosed by ditches of marsh, in 1273. In 1376, whilst the manor was in the king's hands by reason of the death of John Dakeneye, damage was done to the buildings which could not be replaced for 200 marks.
The VCH suggests that Castle Hill was used for military purposes during the Civil War, its source for the statement, though not printed, being Kelly's Directory. That excellent work does indeed present us with this piece of information in 1869, but since it gives no source we cannot trace the matter further.

<15> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 8, no. 63, Winter 1962-1963, pp. 267-271 (Serial). SBD10543.

Early [castle] sites that were enlarged are in a much better state of preservation. Probably the finest in the county is Cainhoe. Here on a natural hillock of greensand stands a large high motte, with its original bailey to the west, dug into by an ancient quarry. Around this 2 later baileys have been set, both well fortified and edged with earthen ramparts that would have taken timber stockades. The ground of the motte falls away steeply to marshy land, which no doubt would have provided a means of egress for the defenders if driven to a last resort. In the evening light, trackways can still be seen crossing this marshy ground. High ground to the SE overlooks the castle but is of little consequence since the castle was beyond missile range and gunpowder had not been invented. It is still possible to see traces of a village, now deserted, to W of the castle.

<16> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 10, no. 74, autumn 1965, pp. 85-87 (Serial). SBD10543.

Whilst not venturing any opinion as to the origin of the building depicted in the mural found in Clophill Old Church, I should like to query Professor Chibnall's statement that Joan took Cainhoe Castle as her share of the Albini estate (Beds Mag, 9, 215, 348).
According to the Calendar of Close Rolls of 1272-79, Isabella, eldest daughter of Simon de Albiniaco, and her husband Hugh de Sancte Cross took 'the hall of Kaynho, with the porch, chamber and cellar towards the east with a bakehouse, dovecot and a garden extending westwards to the ditch of the marsh, which ditch encloses the court, as appears by the bounds placed there, and the ditch extends to the well near the chamber, and a ditch extends from the well to the bridge of Baybrugg. And thence a ditch near the casueway extends to a bound placed there by the jurors. And thence are placed bounds in the bottom of the ditch up to a wall enclosing a stable, and the stable together with a door, and from the door a bound is situated in a line in the gale (gabulo) of the little stable, and so the bounds are placed from the gable to the outside corner of the chamber near the hall towards the west, which chamber is made of stone and lime.' Isabella took the fishpond called Walebek and a certain pigsty without the gate together with other land, a third of 2 parts of 2 mills and a third of the toll of passing carts.
Joan, the youngest of the 3 sisters, and her husband Hugh de Lacy, took 3 barns, together with other items including a plot called Calvescroft which extended to the fishpond Walebek, and it is specifically state that because the granges were not equal in value to the land of the part of the hall, chamber and other houses of stone and lime, the King assigned other lands with her share.
Though we hear no more of the hall of Jaynho, the Sancta Cruces still held their lands, and when Peter and his son Robert died after 1349, when there were no rents from bondsmen and cottars 'because they are all dead of the pestilence', their estate consisted of a third of the Manor of Caynho, a messuage and various lands.
The Dakeney family acquired the whole manor, and then John Dakeney, knight, dies in 1374, holding the manor of Caynho with a watermill, fishery, dovecot, cottages ('of which ten have newly fallen into the Lord's hands for lack of tenants owing to the pestilence') and court, the houses and buildings within 'the site' are worth nothing beyond the repair.
'While the Manor of Kaynhoo was is the King's hands by the death of John Dakeneye, knight, a tenant in chief of the King, John Cane and John Kyrkeby took thence stones called freston from a fireplace and timber and tiles from the great chamber and the chamber called yathous to the value of 2 marks and sold them. They also sold from the said yathous planks and 4 joists (gistes) to the value of 7 shillings. They did damage of 30 shillings with pigs and otherwise in the hedges and walls of the buildings. They carried away an iron-bound cart and a brass caudron…..they destroyed rabbits in the warren to the value of 10 shillings, and fish in the pond to the value of 40 pence. They burnt the timber of the buildings and took away…..to the value of 2 shillings and 6 pence. John Kyrkeby took away del Hostelrie and an great chest. The two took away a table called tabildormaunt, two aundirens, a brass mortar and 4 bienheves. They destroyed and depastured the underwook with divers beasts to the value of 10 shillings. The defects of the buildings and walls which occurred in the time of the said John Dakeneye and afterwards could not be replaced for 200 marks. [Hand-written marginal note: Cal Misc Inq III, 1348-77].
In the early 16th century, Thomas Rouse was renting the 'site of the Manor of Kaynowe' from Henry VIII. By the end of that century, the Beverleys are living in Caynho Lodge, which was in the position occupied by Cainhoe Manor House (Beds Mag 6, 208).
There was at that time still a house near the castle site as in 1590 Thomas Beverley's lease to Robert Smale of Clophill, warrener, allows him to hunt conies in the close next the lodge in the warren called Fensham's house, from the cross-hedge by the pear tree which divides above Close from Upper Close (where the barn and hill now called Castle Hill stand). Thomas' will (1596) refers to an order made by the Queen (as Lady of the Manor) that all houses built on the warren are to be pulled down.

<17> Joyce Godber, 1969, History of Bedfordshire, pp. 22, 73, 82 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10624.

Nigel d'Albini…made his headquarters at Cainhoe, and here either he or later members of his family made a fortified dwelling (VCH I) on a spur of high ground, protected on the north by a small stream, which probably at this time was marshy. The central mound is comparatively small, and is surrounded on the sides away from the stream by a deep ditch about 40ft wide. To the E & S are wards, & the entrance seems to have been on the west. It was no doubt at this time fortified with a stockade. (p22)
1200, Robert d'Albini was at Cainhoe. This was a more peaceful site [than Bedford], and it is not certain that there was ever a masonry castle here. (p73)
The line of the d'Albinis ended with heiresses in 1272; at the death of Simon d'Albini no castle is mentioned - only a capital messuage, or large house, garden & dovecote. (p82)

<18> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 12, 1971, p. 331 (Serial). SBD10543.

Black & white image of the site - captioned 'Bedfordshire's finest motte and bailey castle. Part of the outworks are to be destroyed by road widening'

<19> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 13, 1971, p. 44 (Serial). SBD10543.

Cainhoe Castle: In preparing the caption of Eric Meadows' splendid photograph of Cainhoe Castle (ref 12) in the Spring number of The Bedfordshire Magazine (page 331) we were so angered by the County Council's need to destroy part of the site for road straightening purposes, that we forgot to name the Castle. It lies in Clophill parish, between Silsoe and Beadlow.

<20> M. Beresford and J. G. Hurst, 1971, Deserted Medieval Villages, p. 183 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10860.

Cainhoe DMV listed at TL 100 367 [=Cainhoe Farm].

<21> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: CRT 130/CLOP/5, notes on Cainhoe Manor House (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Cainhoe Manor House/Cainhoe Farm (notes compiled by CRO staff): 1272 - Simon d'Albini died. Eldest daughter, Isabella, took 'hall of Kaynho, with the porch, chamber & cellar towards the E with bakehouse, dovecot & garden extending westwards towards the ditch of the marsh…' (Cal Close Rolls 1272-1279). The 'Hall' was probably the castle, since a marsh formerly existed on the E & N sides of the mound.
John Dakeney died 1374 (IPM - 49 Edw III) - "the houses & buildings within the site (of the manor of Caynho) are worth nothing yearly beyond the reprise" seeming to indicate that the castle had fallen into ruin.
A further inquiry was held 1376 to determine the damage done by John Cane 7 John Kyrkeby (Cal Inq Misc III, 1348-77). It is not possible to identify the site of the house so described.

<22> David Baker, Comments & Site Visit notes, 10/2/1972 (Observations and Comments). SBD10964.

(1) DMV: Earthworks visible to E of Castle - hut platforms?? But mainly to SW, with sunken way leading into large rectangular platform.
Whole area seriously cut about by quarrying.

(2) Castle. Earthworks in good condition. Grass on sandy soil.

Roadscheme: should miss outer bailry ditch, due to configuration of baileys ending further NW. Will cut through parts of DMV.
Picnic scheme: erosion threat to main earthworks. Carpark threat to any DMV remains E of castle earthworks.

<23> David Baker, Comments & Site Visit notes, 1972 (Observations and Comments). SBD10964.

One of Bedfordshire's Norman castles, Cainhoe was held by a Nigel d'Albini a the time of Domesday Book in 1086. It had an uneventful history, though there are stories that it, or its ruins, were involved in the Civil War of the 17th century.
It is constructed in typical fashion, with a motte or central defensive mound, surrounded by, in this case, three baileys or defended courtyards.
At the foot of the castle site, between it and the main road are the faint remains of the deserted medieval vilalge of Cainhoe, which may have been depleted or destroyed by the plagues of the 14th century.
The site is currently owned by LaPorte Industries Ltd, though discussion on its acquisition by the County Council are in progress. The main castle area was scheduled as an Ancient Monument in 1929, and this was extended in 1971 to include the whole of OS 242, containing the village site.
Works on the A507 Clophill by-pass include a road straightening scheme where a sharp bend exists SE of the castle. While this will not affect the castle earthworks, it will destroy parts of the village site.
A permission to extract Fuller's Earth relates to land of three sides of the site.
There are proposals to make this into a picnic site. This shows a way in which an Ancient Monument can be preserved and displayed in combination with recreational provisions. The other side of this coin is also evident, since the earthworks are easily eroded, and over-use or lack of thorough main tenance could damage the monuments.

<24> Unspecified publication, 1973 (Newspaper Article). SBD10582.

"Castle Diggers find an old village" and "road found in castle dig".

<25> Bedfordshire Archaeological Council, 1973, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal, Volume 8, Vol. 8, 1973, p. 140 (Article in serial). SBD14118.

Cainhoe Castle TL 098 374: Trial excavations by Alison Taylor & Peter Woodward for Beds CC & DoE on strip of land s of motte & bailey castle, threatened by road-straightening scheme. Cobbled roadway with drainage ditches leading to gap in outer earthworks was seen in middle of strip. 2 possible house platforms on E end of site produced no conclusive occupation evidence. In between, marshy area contained part of possible collapsed fence & number of stakes. In general the work confirmed that the main deserted medieval village site lay W of castle and was unaffected by road scheme.

<26> Bedfordshire Archaeological Council, 1975, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal, Volume 10, Vol. 10, 1975, pp. 41-52 (Article in serial). SBD14120.

The trial excavations on the earth works to the south and south east of Castle Hill demonstrated that none of them represented building platforms or enclosures as part of Cainhoe DMV. The area to the S.E. at this date was probably wet and marshy, unsuitable for habitation. There were however, the remains of a stake and wattle structure of an earlier period (carbon dated a.d. 500 +/- 70 years.
Excavation on the side of the hill to the south of the Motte showed that the defences at this point were entirely natural. A road surface uncovered to the south east of the hill, although orientated towards one of the castle entrances was not necessarily contemporary with the castle usage. The earthworks to the south of Castle Hill proved to be devoid of features and probably were the result of field drainage and/or quarrying into the side of the hill.

<27> Alison Allden, Comments, Notes from Parish survey (Observations and Comments). SBD11399.

The most substantial archaeological remains in the parish are the scheduled earthworks of Cainhoe Castle (SMR 225). Although these must be associated with the Norman Conquest, it is most likely from our understanding of the period that Clophill bore witness to battle, and may have been punished for retaliating against the invasionary forces, for as Godber points out, History of Beds p16, between King Edward's reign and the Norman allocation of land, Clophill was 18% poorer. It is probable that the motte and the inner bailey were constructed first and the outer baileys then added. The position of the castle on the greensand spur takes advantage of natural defences; it is described as "cut into and built on a natural hill" (Beds Arch J 10, p41) and land to the north and west, which was then marsh, provides added defences, (VCH I, p291). To the south the scarp turns into a deep ditch of 40 feet, which can never have held water. The entrance appears to have been to the west; there is no sign of ramparts but a stockade could have been used at this point. A.R. Goddard, in VCH 1, p291, suggests a 'flying bridge' as the approach from the outer bailey to the motte, he also describes an outer enciente with traces of a rampart and ditch surrounding a considerable portion of the 'lower slopes'. Whether the castle was once of stone or only a wooden construction is difficult to answer. There is stone in the parish which could have been dig, but it must have been efficiently robbed, for there is no trace of it now and the timber constructions seem a common method of defence built by the Normans.
The Domesday entry for Cainhoe confirms that it was held by Nigel d'Albini, and we know that this was the seat of his Barony, and therefore a castle of some local importance. Fowler in B.H.R.S. 1, p20, comments that 'it is rare for a Baron to fix his headquarters at such a solitary spot' since in Domesday only 3 villeins, 3 bordars and 5 serfs are recorded in Cainoe. The castle itself would not be recorded in the Domesday Survey, as D Renn in Norman Castles in Britain p27 points out, the survey is interested in income, not expenditure. Hwoever, the castle itself is surrounded by an area of cropmarks and earthworks (SMR 3222) and it has been suggested (e.g. J Dyer, Beds Mag 8, p270) that 'the village now deserted leaves traces to the west'. To the north of the castle is a series of fishponds (see under Economy Section) while to the south-west there is a long piece of standing water towards which outer lines are tending' (Goddard, VCH 1, p291). When looked at on aerial photos and on the ground this appears to form one side of a moat, and it is likely that this is the evidence of the transition from castle to manor house. (This is also the case at The Hills, Meppershall). It seems probable a more conveniently situated manor house was built by the d'Albini family once the Norman occupation was an established fact - although it was still in the vicinity of the castle defences for protection.
The earthworks complex to the west of the castle is probably the buildings and ditches described in 1272, on the death of Simon d'Albini when his estate was divided amongst his three sisters. This document describes 'The hall of Kaynho with porch, chamber, cellar towards the east, with bakehouse, dove cot and garden westwards to the ditch of the marsh, the ditch which encloses the court…..a ditch extends from the well to the bridge of Baybrugg, thence a ditch near the causeway…to the bottom of the old ditch, …. Fishpond called Walebeck….houses of stone and lime' etc.
Following this partition of the manor the descent is complex (see VCH 2, p321 and Beds Mag 1, p311) but the manor is reunited under the Dakeney family. It seems that the manor as it has developed ove rthe last two centuries is in a state of collapese by 1374, and this may be blamed in part on the Black Death and plague, since the lord of the manor and his tenants and his son all perished in 1349. In 1374 the manor is in the King's hands and a document records its state of disrepair and collapse - for details see Beds Mag 10, p85: 'Manor of Caynho, with watermill, fishery, dove cot, cottages (of which 10 are nwely fallen into his Lord's hands through lack of tenants owing to the pestilence) and the court, the houses and buildings within the site are worth nothing beyond reprise' etc.
It seems likely that within the next century the site of the castle and early manor became abandoned, and in 1468 when it was bought by the De Greys the manorial survey suggests general decline and decay (BHRS 46) and in 1511 the Earl was required to pay for repairs to the manor (CRO: CRT 100/3). In 1515 it is not the manor but 'The Logge called Clophill Logge with the warren' that is let, suggesting that a building in the vicinity of Warren Farm, that later may be referred to as "House on Warren Ground" (1596) or Fenshams House (CRO: L4/296, 1648) was the main house of the manor during the early 16th century. Certainly there was no house near the castle in 1530 when the manor had once more fallen into the King's hands, and the 'site of the manor' was granted to Beverley (VCH 2, p321).

<28> Angela Simco, Site visit notes (Notes from site visit). SBD12095.

Map annotated with notes from a site visit.

<29> Christopher C Taylor (RCHME), Comments, Description and survey, 1978 (Observations and Comments). SBD10961.

The clearly identifiable earthworks fall into six groups:
Motte and Baileys: Cainhoe Castle is unusual in that it has three separate baileys on the E, S and W of the motte. It is sighted on the highest point of a low E-W ridge of sand which is its N.E. corner. Most of this ridge slopes gently to the lower ground beyond, but, as far as can be ascertained, the point at which the castle was erected, already had a steep natural slope to the N and NE where a small stream, now largely a drainage ditch, had cut into the hill slope ot the W and S. The motte itself, a standard conical mound, 8m-9m high with a small circular top was erected, not on the NE corner of the ridge but a little to the W which, at that time was the most commanding point. It was first given a small bailey which extended W from the motte across and almost level area. This bailey was surrounded by a broad ditch up to 16m wide and 3m deep, with an inner rampart which though now mutilated still remains up to 1m high. The entrance into this bailey is unknown but it may have been on the SW side ('a' plan) where a damaged and altered gap still exists. The whole of the NW part of this bailey has been quarried away as has the E corner.
The next stage in the development was the addition of either one or both of the other two baileys. It is not exactly clear what the sequence was, if any, for there are at least three alternatives. The first is that both the southern and eastern baileys were built simultaneously in order to enlarge the castle and to extend the defences down the gentle slopes to the SE. The southern bailey was protected by another massive ditch up to 20m across on the S with a large internal rampart up to 1.5m high. The boundary of the eastern bailey followed the steep natural slope of the ground which was probably artificially steepend to make it more impregnable. There is no clearly defined rampart around this bailey. The idea that both baileys are contemporary is suported by the neat arc that they form around the present motte and eastern bailey. On the other hand the deep ditch between the eastern and southern bailey is curious. It is no doubt an original feature, but why it was necessary to have two baileys rather than a single large one is not clear. The second alternative, is that the southern bailey was the first addition and that the eastern bailey was built later, in order to protect the eastern flank of the castle. The objection to this argument is still the dividing ditch between the two baileys, for it thus produces a very curious straight E side to the southern bailey which is most unusual. The third explanation is that the eastern bailey is earlier than the southern one. This is unlikely in that it would have left a gap between the western and eastern baileys. In addition its straight SW side, on the line of the ditch between the two baileys, produces an unusual shape. Perhaps the most likely explanation is that both the eastern and southern baileys are contemporary and part of a massive enlargement of the castle.

Manor House Site (?): On the lower ground to the SW of the castle, but also on the flat ridge-top is an almost square area, bounded by a broad shallow ditch ('b' on plan) which has a modern pond dug into the N end of its W side. The surrounding ditch is nowhere more than 0.5m deep and only on the S side and part of the W side is there an inner bank. The interior is featureless except for a very low bank running across it from E to W. The most obvious explanation for this feature is that it is a later manor house site. However there are some difficulties in accepting this without reservation. The lack of interior features and the general shallow nature of the surrounding ditch may mean that the site is only a simple enclosure, possibly for stock, or a garden and that it was never occupied. In addition from its SE corner a broad ditch or hollow-way ('c' - 'd' on plan) runs E and then swings to meet the modern road. If this is indeed a hollow-way, it is not clear why it only runs into the ditch of the enclosure and not into any entrance. Only excavation could confirm that this part of the site is a manor house.

Fishponds: Along the N edge of the site, and presumably close to the original stream, is a group of medieval fishponds. Four rectangular ponds are clearly visible, the W pair linked by a shallow leet. There is also a rectangular sunken feature with ditches running from its NW to NE corners whose interior is occupied by a flat, topped raised 'island'. Other ponds may have existed further N and E, but the ground here has been disturbed in recent times and no identifiable features remain. The whole complex is a typical example of a set of medieval fishponds, and the small depression with the island is perhaps a breeding pond for small fry.

Closes (?): Between the fishponds and the alleged manor house site the hillside is covered by a series of low banks, scarps, ditchs and shallow depressions. It is difficult to interpret these, largely as a result of natural erosion and deposition of the soft sand here. All that can be said is that they form a rectangular layout. What they may have once been is impossible to ascertain. They may be in part old sandpits, but their rectangular appearance suggests that they may more likely have been a series of closes. Whether these were part of a manorial complex, which seems likely given their location between the presumed manor house site and the fishponds, or whether they are the site of otherwise unlocated deserted medieval village of Caibhoe remains unknown.

Quarries Etc.: Further E on the ground rising to the E edge of the castle are a further series of more irregular earthworks. Some of these are certainly old quarries or sandpits while some of the long continuous scarps may be in part, natural features.

Hollow-way (?): In the SE corner of the site is a feature, much mutilated by the later stream course, which may be a hollow-way leading into the ditch between the eastern and southern bailey. Its line has certainly been used by traffic appraoching the castle, but whether it was originally a hollow-way is uncertain.

Finds: The only finds made during the survey were from a disturbed area of the rampart of the southern bailey. These consisted of seven sherds of generally medieval type pottery, one sherd almost certainly of Roman date and one sherd possibly of late Iron Age type.

<30> Royal Archaeological Institute, Archaeological Journal, Vol. 141, 1982, pp. 32-34 (D Baker) (Article in serial). SBD10785.

Cainhoe Castle (TL 097 374): In Beauchamp Wadmore's view, Cainhoe was second only to Yielden for strength and size. Unlike Yielden, Cainhoe is well detached from the main settlement in its parish of Clophill, though the area of the scheduled monument includes the faint remains of manorial or village earthworks. There is little documentation. Clophill was one of several scattered manors held at Domesday by Nigel d'Albini, and Cainhoe must have been the seat of his barony. The following description and plan are based on a survey conducted by Christopher Taylor in 1978.
The motte and three separate baileys utilise the highest corner of a ridge of sand, giving a steep slope on the north and north-east sides. The motte is a standard conical mound 8-9m high with a small circular top. The first bailey extended west across an almost level area, and was defined by a large ditch up to 16m wide and 3m deep, with an inner rampart. The entracnce may have been on the south-west side; the north-west and east parts have been quarried away. The south and east baileys were probably, but not conclusively, a contemporaneous development: as at Yielden they represent a substantial military enlargement of the primary stronghold. The south bailey had another massive ditch up to 20m across, and a large internal rampart. A deep ditch divides it from the east bailey which follows the steep natural slope of the ground and has no clearly defined inner rampart. There is no direct dating evidence for any of these constructional phases, or for their disuse.
In 1272 the estate of Simon D'Albini included 'the hall of Kayno with porch, chamber, cellar towards the east, with bakehouse, dovecot and garden westwards to the ditch of the march, the ditch which encloses the court…a ditch extends from the well to the bridge of Baybrugg, thence a ditch near the causeway…to the bottom of the old ditch…' This may refer to a possible manor-house site south-west of the castle, indicated by eroded earthworks, of which only an enclosing ditch is visible. North of these is a group of rectangular fishponds, the western pair linked by a shallow leet, together with other slight features. Between these pinds and the possible manor site is a series of low banks, scarps and ditches which may be associated closes disturbed by later sand digging.
In 1374 the manor of Cainhow reverted into royal hands, with several cottages unoccupied 'owing to the pestilence', the 'court, the houses and buildings within the site (being) worth nothing beyond reprise'. By the 16th century the manor-house seems to have moved form the immediate vicinity of the castle to the site occupied by Cainhow Farm (or Manor) well south of the castle.
The site of the deserted medieval settlement remains a problem. Rescue excavations in advance of road-widening south and south-east of the bailey in 1973 on possible house platforms revealed no evidence of structures (Taylor and Woodward 1975). Alternatively, the settlement may have always been somewhat dispersed around the area, and classic DMV earthworks should not be expected.

<31> Bedfordshire County Council, 1970 - 2000s, HER Photograph Archive, F479/12-18 & associated notes (Photograph). SBD10506.

Visited 29/6/1984, to follow up report of "metal detector" type holes on top of motte (letter of 6/6/84).
Two main areas show signs of disturbance:
NW edge of motte (F479/15):
A scoop 2m long (NW-SE) by 1m wide, tapering towards NW end. 0.5m deep at SE end. Grassed in bottom, but sides sheer at SE end. Has appearance of refilled "trench" which has slumped. Immediately NW of the above is a freshly cut hole, 0.5 x 0.3m x 0.15m deep.

On the very top, 4 disturbances:
1) 1.5 x 1.0 x 0.5m deep. Re-vegetated. Looks like back-filled trench (F479/14)
2) 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.3m deep. Grassing over. (F479/13)
3) 0.7 x 0.5 x 0.3m. Beginning to re-grass (last year's?) (F479/13)
4) 0.5 x 0.3 x 0.15m. 2 turves removed. One replaced in situ, the other lying to one side. Definitely recent. Charcoal layer revealed at bottom of turf (F479/12 & 16).

Photographs and slides taken.

Steep sloped of motte & baileys show patches of erosion & slumping, especially under hawthorn trees (F479/17 & 18).

<32> Angela Simco, Comments, Notes, June 1986 (Observations and Comments). SBD10509.

Cainhoe Castle, Clophill, Bedfordshire TL 097 374: Cainhoe Castle is located on a natural promontory of greensand, overlooking the broad, flat and originally marshy Flit valley to the north. The earliest part of the site is its conical motte, 50m in diameter and 8-9m high, and the small oval bailey to the west which has been cut into by quarrying (see plan). Two further baileys, to the east and south, were added later.
To the south-west is an enclosure, 60m square, defined by a shallow ditch. This may be the site of a manor house that succeeded the castle, though one would expect a more substantial ditch, and internal earthworks marking the location of former buildings.
Along the northern boundary of the area, parallel with the modern drain, runs a series of fishponds. Between these and the square enclosure are some low banks and scarps, generally rectangular in layout, which may represent village settlement. This area has been badly affected by quarrying however, and the interpretation is uncertain. (Survey and notes by C.C. Taylor, 1978).
The manor of Cainhoe was held at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 by Nigel d'Albini, and was the seat of his barony. The castle was probably first built by him soon after the Norman Conquest of 1066. In 1272, the estate of Simon d'Albini included:-
"the hall of Kaynho, with the porch, chamber and cellar towards the east with a bakehouse, dovecot and a garden extending westwards to the ditch of the marsh, which ditch encloses the court, as appears by the bounds place there, and the ditch extends to the well near the chamber, and a ditch extends from the well to the bridge of Braybrugg. And thence a ditch near the causeway extends to a bound placed there by the jurors. And thence are placed bounds in the bottom of the ditch up to a wall enclosing a stable, and the stable, together with a door, and from the door a bound is situated in a line in the gable of the little stable, and so the bounds are placed from the gable to the outside corner of the chamber near the hall towards the west, which chamber is made of stone and lime." (Beds Mag 10, 1965, 85-87, quoting Calendar of Close Rolls of 1272-9)

The reference to the marsh makes it clear that the complex referred to was on the castle site.
The manor was eventually acquired by the Dakeney family. When John Dakeney died in 1374, and the manor reverted to the king, the houses and buildings were described as "worth nothing bryond the repair" (ibid, quoting Inquisito Post Mortem 49 Edw III, 1375/6). Shortly afterwards, an Inquisition investigated damage done to the property by John Cane and John Kyrkeby, who -
"took thence stones called freston [freestone] from a fireplace and timber and tiles from the great chamber called yathous [gatehouse] to the value of 2 marks and sold them. They also sold form the said yathous planks and 4 joists to the value of 7 shillings. They did damage of 30 shillings with pigs and otherwise in the hedges and walls of the buildings…..They burnt the timber of the buildings….the defects of the buildings and walls which occurred in the time of the said John Dakeneye and afterwards could not be replaced for 200 marks." (ibid, quoting Calendar of Miscellaneous Inquisitions III, 1348-77).

The castle site was replaced by Cainhoe Manor Farm as the manorial centre, probably about this time. In 1530 the 'site of the manor' was granted to Beverley (VCH 2, 1908, 321), suggesting that there were no buildings surviving by this time.

Excavations were carried out in 1973 in advance of proposed road widening to the south-east of the castle, to investigate earthwork swhich it was thought might represent the lost village of Cainhoe. The area proved to be very wet and unsuitable for habitation, and the earthworks here were probably the result of field drainage and/or quarrying (Beds Archaeological Journal 10, 1975, 41-52).

<33> Council for British Archaeology, 1986, South Midlands Archaeology, Volume 16, Vol. 16, 1986 (Serial). SBD14129.

The long heralded road improvement scheme, in advance of which Alison Taylor and Peter Woodward excavated in 1973, was finally carried out ona slightly different alignment. The only extra evidence observed was a small ditch containing medieval pottery.

<34> English Heritage, SAM Record Form, No. 20440 (Scheduling record). SBD10803.

Situated about a mile S of the present village of Clophill on an isolated sand outcrop overlooking the vally of the River Ivel. It consists of a motte and three baileys, cut into, and built on a natural hill. {1}
There has been some slippage due to cattle sheltering under the hawthorn on S side of the motte. The SW corner of the site has been cut off, when the road was upgraded and widened to serve as a feeder to M1. {2}
No signs of further slippage. {3}
Area of cattle poaching still evident under hawthorn, but appears to have stabalized-possibly due to dry summer, and grazing by sheep. Motte and baileys under grass, with patches of nettles, those in moat to W have been trimmed. There are areas of mature hawthorne/sloe/brambles, and one dying oack at base of motte to W. There are several areas of disturbance; probable metal detector type holes on top of motte. These noted by Angela Simco of B.C.C. following a report by Stephen Castle 29.6.1984.
1) NE edge of motte, a scoop 2m long (NW-SE) by 1m wide tapering towards NW 0.5m deep at SE, graned in bottom but sides sheer at SE end. Has appearance of refilled trench which has slumped.
2) NW of above freshly cut hole, 0.5 x.0.3 x 0.15m deep.
3) 1.5 x 1.0 x 0.5m deep, re-vegetated, poss back filled trench.
4) 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.3m deep. Graning over.
5) 0.7 x 0.5 x 0.3. Beginning to regrass.
6) 0.5 x. 0.3 x 0.15m 2 turves removed. One replaced, one lying to side, very recent. Charcoal layer revealed at bottom of turf. There appears to be one new hole since Miss Simco's observation approx the same measurements as (6) with turves replaced. {4}
Additional area also scheduled and includes and area of minor earthworks that cover a large part of the grass field around the motte and baileys. Whole area under pasture with some hawthorn scrub. There are two areas of erosion due to cattle poaching to N of N bailey. Previously referred to as 15/b. {4}
A portion of the perimeter hedge in the NE corner of the SA has been demolished by a large branch of an adjacent tree falling onto the hedge. {5}
Following my meeting with Beds C.C. Surveys Dept in 1985 regarding highway improvements, the following changes were noted adjacent to the road verge: a post/rail fence has been erected, but no quick thorn hedge appears to have been planted; a low metal crash barrier has been positioned on grass verge, this would appear to be outside the SA. {6}
Erosion appears to have worsened considerably over the years, with severe slippage in many areas, aggravated by animal disturbance. This has led to exposure of may tree roots with subsequent undercutting of the grass slopes. Particularly badly affected are areas of N face of outer works of motte with one 7m long section eroded to 1m in depth and also around two oaks to N and S of motte face. No further holes appear to have been dug on motte summit. {6}
Earthworks in additional area are in good condition and under pasture {6}

{1} Beds Arch J 10, pp41-54, 1975
{2} C Gordon, 1979
{3} C Gordon, 1980
{4} H Paterson, 1984
{5} H Paterson, 1985
{6} H Paterson, 1988

<35> Medieval Settlement Research Group Annual Report, Vol. 18, 1970, p. 12 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10799.

Cainhoe (TL 100 367). Site comprising of earthworks adjacent to fine Motte & Bailey castle forms a dangerous blind bend in the road. Department agreed to straighten road. Most affecting the outer bailey of the castle, and potentially outer village earthworks as well. It is hoped that limited excavation is carried out ahead of the works in 1971 or 1972. Rest of the site will be protected as Beds C.C. wants to make it into a country park, hopefully including DMV.

<36> Sarah Jones, 1996, Comments (Observations and Comments). SBD12711.

Grid reference given in (35) is incorrect. It is TL 097 373 [TL 100 367 =DMV see ref 20].

<37> Sarah Jones, 1996, Comments (Observations and Comments). SBD12711.

In plan tanks:
* Cainhoe Castle 1:1250, CC Taylor, 1978 trace & map (ref 29)
* Field drawing 1978, CC Taylor (Arch J, 141, 1982, p22 - ref 30)
* Copy negative, Taylor & Woodward, Beds Arch 10, 1975, fig 1, ref (26)

<38> Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service, BCAS Projects and Watching Brief Database, WB45 (Archaeological Report). SBD10777.

Watching brief of road improvement outside motte and bailey. Some addition excavation conducted. Revealed some features - ditches and areas of burning - and a few finds (flint flakes, potsherds), all of uncertain date. Some bone was also reported.

<39> Department of the Environment, Notification of Scheduling, or an Affirmation or Revision of Scheduling, Letter 18.8.1971 (Scheduling record). SBD12255.

Letter and map showing revised Scheduled area.

<40> English Heritage, Field Monument Warden's Site Visit, 10.9.1979 (Notes from site visit). SBD12210.

The general condition is good. The whole area well fenced and used for permanent pasture with no signs of disturbance. There has been some ….. Due to cattle sheltering in hawthorns on s side of the motte.
The SW corner of this site has been cut off when road was upgraded and widened to serve as feeder for M1. There is a distinct pladform simply rectangular……. C 64 in with a surrounding ditch of which the west side..the existing….

<41> Department of the Environment, Notification of Scheduling, or an Affirmation or Revision of Scheduling (Scheduling record). SBD12255.

Map showing original scheduled area. Superseded, 18.8.71

<42> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: MA55, Book N, Enclosure Map and Award, 1827 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Transcription of map from the 1827 Enclosure Award.

<43> Bedfordshire County Council, 1970 - 2000s, HER Photograph Archive, F600/8-11, 23.4.1986 (Photograph). SBD10506.

Colour images of site.

<44> Bedfordshire County Council, HER Slide Archive, 484-488; 1911; 2150-2153; 2597; 2839; 5101; 5126; 6681-6688; 7731-7732 (Slide). SBD10508.

Images of both aerial photographs of site and the site from the ground.

<45> Angela Simco, Comments (Observations and Comments). SBD10509.

Potsherds found during road widening at Eagles Bend, 1986. Passed to St Mary's for storage, 12/91.

<46> English Heritage, Notification of Scheduling, or an Affirmation or Revision of Scheduling, 17th Dec 1992 (Scheduling record). SBD12102.

The monument includes a motte and bailey castle and associated moated site with fishponds, and part of a field system situated on the south side of the valley of the River Flitt. The motte mound incorporated a natural sand outcrop, and rises steeply to a height of about 15m above the floodplain. The motte is about 60m maximum diameter at the base, with a flat area 10m diameter at the top. High ground to the south, east and west of the motte was utilised for the construction of three irregularly shaped baileys which are separated from the motte by a ditch averaging 10m wide and 3m deep. The western bailey is thought to have been the earliest with the southern and eastern baileys added later. Although later quarrying has dug into the western bailey from its north-western side , much of the interior and its eastern and southern sides survive, representing about two thirds of the original area; it now measures a maximum of 70m east-west by 60m north-south. The interior of the bailey lies about 7m below the top of the motte. A bank 1m high and up to10m wide survives on the south side with a ditch 16m wide by 3m deep separating this from the southern bailey; no trace of the ditch is visible on the north-west side due to quarrying activity. The southern bailey is roughly crescent-shaped in plan, up to 40m wide by 120m long, and the interior of the bailey is about 2m below that if its neighbour. An 8m wide bank runs around the southern edge of the southern bailey; this bank is 1.5m high relative to the inside of the bailey and the outer scarp falls by about 4m to the bottom of the outer ditch which is up to 20m wide. Dividing the southern and eastern baileys is a ditch 15m wide and 5m deep which is thought to have served as an entrance to the castle. The eastern bailey measures 80m north-south by 30m east-west, occupying the remaining high ground on that side of the motte. The interior ofsurface of the bailey falls markedly from west ot east and a slight bank, less than 1m high, lies on the western, northern and part of the eastern sides. On the eastern side of the bailey there is a steep scarp following the natural hillside with a slight ditch 10m wide at its foot.

The castle lies at the eastern end of a large field, measuring 520m by 320m, which also contains the remains of a medieval manorial site which is thought to have succeeded the motte and baileys. For the most part the remains comprise field boundary ditches averaging about 7m wide and up to 0.5m deep marking out a series of irregular enclosures. The enclosures to the south and east are incomplete, being truncated by a modern road (the A507) and to the west by modern quarrying. An area of 170m by 140m maximum extent in the centre of the site has also been altered by quarrying. Despite this much of the field system can still be observed and several notable features are appartent. First of these is a square enclosure measuring 80m across externally which lies south-west of the centre of the site. This is thought to be a moated site on which the manor house was located. Although partially infilled, the moat ditch is 10m wide and between 1m and 1.5m deep. Part of the western arm remains an open waterfilled feature which has been widened slightly to form a cattle-pond 12m wide by 42m long. A leat, now dry, flowed into the moat from the west and an outlet channel runs east from the south-east corner joining the field ditch system. The interior of the moat is generally flat but has an inner bank 0.3m high on the south and west sides and a bank of similar size running east-west, effectively dividing the island into two areas; the northern part measures 80m by 18m and the southern 50m by 24m. The second group of features lies close to the northern edge of the monument and comprises a series of dried-up fishponds. The ponds were fed by a stream (whose modern course now runs just beyond the area of the monument) and by water draining from the field boundary ditches. At least four oval or rectangular ponds, 10m wide and between 22m and 34m long by up to 1m deep, have been identified; two lie end-to-end in the old stream bed and two more are offset to the south of the stream where it becomes canalised into two parallel leats. Set between the two offset ponds and linked to the leat system is a square pond 20m across with a small central island. This pond is thought to have been a breeding pond for small fry.

Small-scale excavations in 1973, located at the extreme east of the monument, found evidence of metalled road surfaces in the vicinity of the castle entrance and of medieval drainage works. It was also confirmed that the motte is constructed from a natural hill. Aerial photographs record the continuation of the medieval field system to the north of the monument where it has been destroyed by agricultural activity.

The manor of Cainhoe was held at Domesday by Baron Nigel d'Albini and it was probably he who built the castle shortly after the Conquest of 1066. The well-appointed manor house of his descendant, Simon d'Albini, is described in a Calendar of Close Rolls of the 1270's. The manor was later acquired by the Dakeney family and, on the death of John Dakeney in 1374, passed to the King in a dilapidated state after which an Inquisition was held into pilfering of
building materials and other damage. The manor was then abandoned in favour of Cainhoe Manor Farm and by the 16th century it appears that there were no longer any buildings on the site. A public footpath now crosses the centre of the site on the line of an old road between Clophill and Upper Gravenhurst.

<47> Ordnance Survey, 1967-1968, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 (Map). SBD11538.

Map showing earthworks, c 1975

<48> Correspondence, 16.11.1986 (Unpublished document). SBD10802.

Letter to A Simco with attached family tree of Nigel d'Albini.

<49> Roger Hurn, 2007, Mystery Mob and the Creepy Castle (Bibliographic reference). SBD12915.

Everybody who lived in Cainhoe Castle in England, died at the same time from the Black Death. It wasn't till much later that their bodies were found by a passing traveller.

<50> Angela Simco, Comments (Observations and Comments). SBD10509.

Sketchplots of cropmarks from aerial photographs [Also HER 14642 ref 7].

<51> Bedfordshire County Council, Planning Dept File, 1987-1990 (Unpublished document). SBD11426.

Correspondence re proposal to purchase Cainhoe Castle site

<52> Martin Oake, Comments and observations (Observations and Comments). SBD11152.

Two Americans from Chicksands have collected Medieval pottery (and a little Roman) from just N of Cainhoe Castle, just inside the quarry area.
Piles of spoil to E of stile have produced the material. There is a drainage ditch dug between quarry and SAM, this may be the source of the pottery,

<53> Bedfordshire County Council, Planning Dept File (Unpublished document). SBD11426.

Correspondence re. road improvement schemes.

<54> DCMS, Scheduled Monument Consent (consent for works to or affecting a Scheduled Monument) (Unpublished document). SBD11896.

Copies of consents for works undertaken on site.

<55> Bedfordshire County Council, Planning Dept File (Unpublished document). SBD11426.

Correspondence re. Fuller's Earth extraction.

<56> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 360008 (Index). SBD12367.

Motte and bailey complex. The motte incorprates a natural sandstone outcrop standing 11m above the floodplain. It is 60m wide at the base and the flat top is 10m in diameter. Three irregularly shaped baileys are separated from the motte by a ditch. Cainhoe was the centre of the Barony of Cainhoe, held by the d'Aubigny family from the Conquest until the mid 13th century. No castle is mentioned in 1272 when the male line had been extinguished and the estate divided. By 1374, the fortifications were ruinous. The earthwork remains of the castle and surrounding features were mapped from aerial photographs.(See TL03NE24 for associated deserted village and TL03NE25 for succeeding moated manorial works).

<57> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10000, 1979 (Map). SBD12793.

(TL 089374) Castle Hill (NAT) Motte & Bailey (NR)

<58> P Bigmore, 1979, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Landscape, pp99, 122 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10902.

Cainhoe was the centre of one of the most powerful baronies in Bedfordshire, the d'Albini family reigning there from the Norman Conquest until the middle of the 13th century. (Cainhoe not listed by Renn, Norman Castles in Britain, 1973). In 1233 the male line of the family had been extinguished and in 1272 the inheritance was shared by three sisters. The description that survives shows that the fortress was still in use at that time, but by 1374 it was described as ruinous.

<59> Andrew Miller, 1995, RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project, NMR, TL 0937/1-10 (Archaeological Report). SBD12554.

A rapid examination of air photography (12a) shows the Motte and Bailey earthworks, as well as earthworks to the west which may relate to the DMV. Also visible are the earthworks of probable fishponds around TL 09503767, which are presumably associated with the castle and DMV.

<60> National Monuments Record, NMR Aerial Photograph, NMR TL 0937/4-6 NMR 2105/1038-40 05-MAR-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SBD10595.

The earthwork remains of the motte and bailey of Cainhoe Castle (described above)and adjacent earthwork and cropmark remains of the possible settlement of Cainhoe to the north of the castle and a possible moated site with fishpond to the west of the castle were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritag: Wrest Park Environs survey.

<61> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 1091365 (Index). SBD12367.

The deserted settlement of Cainhoe is recorded in Domesday Book. After the Conquest, it became the possession of the d'Albini family. It was deserted soon after 1349, following decimation by the Black Death. Earthworks around Cainhoe Castle have long been thought to represent those of the deserted village, but excavation to the South of the Catle only located further structures associated with the castle. The earthworks to the West of the castle appear to be those of the manorial complex, including a moated house and fishponds, which succeeded the castle. The precise location of Cainhoe remains in doubt. Earthworks of banked and ditched enclosures to the north of the castle and mapped from aerial photographs may be the remains of the medieval settlement at Cainhoe.

<62> Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs (CUCAP), Cambridge AP: Index (Aerial Photograph). SBD10593.

The cropmark and earthwork remains of a number of conjoined bank-defined rectilinear enclosures and an associated possible hollow way were seen on aerial photographs, centred at TL 0980 3759 immediately to the north of Cainhoe Castle. These features may well be the remains of the medieval village of Cainhoe. The hollow way could be seen aligned NW-SE extending for c.200m between TL 0973 3766 and TL 0983 3749, the south-eastern end terminating close to the northern extent of the castle earthworks.
The north-western half of these remains have been destroyed by quarrying. These features and and the remains of the castle to the south were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Wrest Park Environs survey.
(BWI 73 23-JAN-1976, ATT 17 10-OCT-1967, BFI 91 19-MAY-1971)

<63> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 1091368 (Index). SBD12367.

Moated site and fishponds, Cainhoe. An extensive field system to the West of Cainhoe Castle (TL03NE10) was thought to be the remains of Cainhoe deserted village (TL03NE24). Recent survey has shown that the field system includes a moated square enclosure, 80m across with a ditch 10m wide, to the North of which is a series of four dried-up ponds. This appears to represent a succeeding manorial successor to the castle.The earthworks of the above described features were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Wrest Park Environs survey.

<64> National Monuments Record, NMR Aerial Photograph (Aerial Photograph). SBD10595.

The earthworks of the above described features including a possible moated enclosure, fish ponds, ditches and a possible hollow way were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Wrest Park Environs survey. Amongst these earthworks the earthwork remains of several fields of medieval or post medieval ridge and furrow was also mapped and recorded from aerial photographs.
NMR TL 0937/70 NMR 23379/11 09-FEB-2004, NMR TL 0937/4-6 NMR 2105/1038-40 05-MAR-1982

<65> Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service, 1988, Cainhoe Castle, Clophill; Watching Brief, WB110 (Archaeological Report). SBD13333.

Watching brief of mineral extraction near Cainhoe earthworks. No archaeological interest reported.

Protected Status:

• Archaeological Notification Area
• Archaeological Notification Area (AI) HER225: CAINHOE CASTLE, Motte & Baileys, possible DMV
• Scheduled Monument 1009248: Cainhoe Castle: a motte and bailey with associated moated site, fishponds and field systems

Monument Type(s):

• STRUCTURE (5th Century to 6th Century - 430 AD to 570 AD) + Sci.Date
• BUILDING (11th Century - 1000 AD to 1099 AD)
• DITCH (11th Century - 1000 AD to 1099 AD)
• GATEHOUSE (11th Century to 14th Century - 1000 AD to 1399 AD)
• STABLE (11th Century to 14th Century - 1000 AD to 1399 AD)
• CASTLE (11th Century to 14th Century - 1066 AD to 1374 AD)
• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROAD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DOVECOTE (13th Century to 14th Century - 1200 AD to 1399 AD)
• QUARRY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SAND PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• FBD11271 - BLADE (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• FBD11270 - END SCRAPER (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• FBD11268 - FLAKE (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• FBD11269 - SCRAPER (TOOL) (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• FBD11273 - SHERD (Roman/Romano-British - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FBD11274 - STAKE (6th Century - 500 AD to 599 AD) + Sci.Date
• FBD3709 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FBD3708 - HORSESHOE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FBD5337 - OX SHOE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FBD11272 - SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FBD3710 - DAGGER (15th Century - 1450 AD to 1499 AD)

Associated Events

• EBD773 - Cainhoe Castle Excavations 1973
• EBD1420 - Cainhoe Castle, Clophill (Ref: WB45)
• EBD1858 - Cainhoe Castle, Clophill; Watching Brief (Ref: WB110)

Sources and Further Reading

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