Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Essendine Castle
Hob Uid: 348308
Location : Rutland Essendine
Grid Ref : TF0490012800
Summary : Medieval moat surviving as an earthwork. The moated island may have been occupied by a fortified manor house built in the late 12th/early 13th century. The outer enclosure to the south of the moat contains the parish church (TF 01 SW 10) and a number of small fishponds surviving as earthworks. A further fishpond lies to the north.
More information : (TF 049 128) Castle (site of). (1) Earthworks, classified as a moated enclosure with stronger defensive works (see plan). (2) Residence probably built by the Busseys or Robert de Vipont at the end of the 12th or early in the 13th cent. For some centuries the residence of the Lords of the Manor and could have still been standing in Queen Elizabeth's reign. Site covers just over an acre and is encompassed by a deep moat. There is no tradition of any other Mansion House having existed, but records do not mention any castle. (This would appear to be a defended mansion house rather than a castle). (3) The earthworks comprise a strongly ditched island with an outer court containing Essendine parish church to the south. A fishpond survives to the north but the smaller stews on the south side (shown on plan, Authy.2) were filled in before the 1939-45 war (local information). The site is flanked on the east by the River Glen. In reasonably good condition but has a fair covering of trees and undergrowth; no building foundations were seen. See 25" survey. (4) TF 0494 1283. Essendine Castle moated site. A large fortified manor site with a fishpond and an adjoining enclosure containing a church (TF 01 SW - excluded from the scheduling). The moat is very large, the outer dimensions being 100m square. The ditch is 30m wide on the western side, up to 40m on the North, and 3-4m deep. The moat island occupies an area of 50m x 55m. The adjoining fishpond of roughly triangular shape measures 60m x 30m maximum. The outer enclosure to the south side, is rectangular, measuring 120m x 50m overall and has access via a bridge. The strong defensive nature of the site and its similarities to Woodhead Castle (SK 91 SE 6) suggest a variation of a ringwork. Scheduled (RSM) No.17012. (5) There is a large moated platform with a fishpond to the north and an enclosure on the south side containing a chapel (now the parish church). A complex of small fishponds is now ploughed away. The castle is described in an extent of 1417 (a-b) (6) The moat described by the previous authorities was masked by trees on the available air photographs. The fish ponds mapped by authority 2 to the south of the moat and thought to have been filled in before World War II by authority 4 are in fact visible on air photographs taken in 1947 (7a) and 1953 (7b). They were visible at TF 0495 1272 as a large L-shaped ditch with two parallel banks to the north of the ditch. (Morph Nos LI.771.2.1-2). This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (7) Analysis of the site in relation to its Mediaeval landscpe, the church, manor etc. (8)

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Source details : OS 6" 1959
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : B H Seaman/27-MAR-1972/Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : English Heritage SAM Amendment Leicestershire 04-SEP-1991.
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Source Number : 6
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Source Number : 6a
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Source details : Blore T 1811 The History of Antiquities of Rutland Vol 1 pt 2 p201
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : Damian Grady/30-NOV-1995/RCHME: Lincolnshire NMP
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Source Number : 7a
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Source details : RAF vertical AP CPE/UK/1932/3317 17/01/1947
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Source Number : 7b
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Source details : CUCAP AP LJ 35 and 36 21/04/1953
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Late C12/early C13
Monument End Date : 1232
Monument Start Date : 1167
Monument Type : Moat, Fishpond, Fortified Manor House
Evidence : Earthwork, Documentary Evidence

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 17012
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : LEIC 166
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External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Leicestershire)
External Cross Reference Number : 01SW G
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External Cross Reference Source : MORPH2
External Cross Reference Number : LI.771.2
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TF 01 SW 2
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1972-03-27
End Date : 1972-03-27

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 1992-07-01
End Date : 1997-03-01

Historic England Research Records

Essendine Castle