Summary

Lidgate Castle - probably rectangular mound, and bailey to S, which originally included the church.

Monument Types

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Protected Status

• Scheduled Ancient Monument SF125: LIDGATE CASTLE

Description

Lidgate Castle - probably rectangular mound, and bailey to S, which originally included the church. Remains of substantial earthworks with later modifications. For possible 2nd bailey to NW - see LDG 010. Castle probably dated from 1143 (R1)(S1).
1836: OS 1:63,360 (1") mapping shows 'Castle' as D shaped (rectangle with semi-circular SW end with circle (motte?) in centre of SW end and internal cross partition (forming rectangle) at NE end (copy in parish file).
Motte 20m square, surrounding ditch averages 5m deep, no traces of buildings, small 2m high mound in SE corner. Raised area on N and E sides, 9m wide and 4.8m high. Bailey ditch destroyed by buildings except on W side. Original recte 5814 entrance in SE. Traces of flint rubble walling, 1m thick, at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) with later facing of coursed flints and modern brick (S1). Two subsidiary enclosures (outside scheduled area): one centred (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) to E of bailey, curved, mostly infilled in recent years except for SE corner, the other to the S is non-defensive with irregular ditch on W side only surviving. These probably later manorial works (S1).
1981: Earthworks as above. Agree that mounds appear to be one mound divided by a trench. W end of S ditch gradually filling up with churchyard rubbish, but with some masonry. E of this several sheets of corrugated iron have been dumped. Interior tree-planted (S3).
1986: Whole monument is very overgrown with nettles and elder, which have invaded even the two areas of recent plantation: one of conifers and beech on the main (quadrangular) motte, and another of beech on the rectangular mound N of it. Earthworks as described in Part 1. Ditches dry and overgrown, except of W bailey ditch, which still holds water. Outer ditch on E used as track. Beyond scheduled area, bank runs along E edge of outer ditch and forms part of cultivated field. It survives to approximately 8m wide and 2m high from ditch bottom and approximately 1m high from surface of field. Entrance and masonry fragmentary recorded by OS still visible. Surface of field to E of monument is undulating. Mr Plumpton says earthwork here (presumably the enclosure at (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) described and mapped by OS) was levelled some years ago (S3).
1991: Not maintained, moat exists, though site left well alone. Area to S of scheduled area included in site defined by HER, includes W ditch noted above.
December 1995: HER's area increased to include former semi-circular `moat' to E.
1996: Castle earthworks are covered with trees and scrub. A deep and steep- sided ditch divides the castle from the adjacent churchyard. A length of mortared flint walling, c.1m thick, to the E of the church seems to have been a flanking wall in a approach to a causeway across the castle ditch (most of the wall line is indicated by a ridge and parch marks in the grass; the large upstanding fragment could have been part of a gatehouse). The main part of the castle consists of a roughly square raised platform with a flat top. In the SE corner there is a tall linear mound that may be masking a ruined wall. A deep and wide ditch separates the square platform from a rear narrow but still flat-topped linear mound. At the SE corner of this mound there is an entry to the site (?secondary) on the line of the internal ditch. On the S side of the `entrance' there is another linear mound with a steep scarp down to the present farmyard (& probable unfilled outer ditch). A detached semi-circular `moat' to the E (shown on earlier OS maps) has been largely infilled - the `pond' at the S end survives but the rest only shows as a scarp in an arable field (S4).
Castle may have been built in the Civil War of the time of King Stephen, by the then holder - Maurice de Windsor, Steward of Bury Abbey c.1114-9 to c.1154, or by his successors as stewards, the Hastings family. It may have been active again in the troubles of the mid C13, for in 1266 the manor was seized from Henry de Hastings `the king's enemy' and granted temporarily to Gilbert de Clare (S5)

Features visible on Lidar. See associated files.

Sources

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