Bury Mount
Encyclopedia
Bury Mount Motte is the remains of an earthwork motte and bailey fortification or ancient castle
, and has been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument
. The Motte probably dates back to the 11th Century when it was a Norman
fortification but over time has been subject to neglect.
town of Towcester
, England, located on the Roman Road of Watling Street
now the A5 trunk road
which runs from Dover
to Wroxeter
via London
. It is similar to other local Mottes located at Northampton
, Buckingham
, Little Houghton
and Newport Pagnell
, Buckinghamshire
. It would have been strategically placed to control primary transport routes and river crossings. The Towcester Motte controlled the junction of Watling Street and long distance route from Southampton
to Stamford
which went through Winchester
, Oxford
, Brackley
and Northampton, now the A34 and A43
trunk roads. The Motte is located in Towcester on the north-east side of the A5 in Moat Lane, at the side of Towcester Town Hall next to St Leonard's Church and east of what was the market square now used as a car park.
and a tall motte
surrounded by a large ditch. The motte may not have been of the standard conical mound form. More historical details are described on the South Northant's Council's website including the restoration project for the motte and all the Moat Lane area..
and Empress Maud. It was about the time that the Manor of Towcester passed from the Crown
to the St. Hiliary family. The castle would have been used as a symbol of power, been the residence of the lord of the manor's bailiff
or reeve
, an encampment for troops and cavalry raised during periods of hostility and offer hospitality to the lord and his retinue whilst travelling. It was to be dominated by a large motte surrounded by a ditch and topped by a tower which created both a stronghold and a watchtower
.
Documentary evidence shows that in the 15th century there was a gate at the junction of the two lanes leading into the bailey. In this area would be living quarters for the constable of the castle and the small permanent garrison
, detached kitchens, a brewhouse
, barns and sheds for storage of food and equipment, stabling, privies, a well and accommodation for livestock. It would have been tightly packed with buildings and would have bustled with activity when fully garrisoned.
The traditional view is that earth mottes had palisade
s around the summit of the motte which was approached by a flying bridge
or ladder and within this well defended upper section would have been a tall timber tower. The few excavations of mottes that have occurred show they varied considerably in form. There is the possibility that Bury Mount does not follow the standard form. In 1392 it was described as a mound tower within a moat, which suggests that it would have had a stone tower as a wooden tower is unlikely at that date. Shortly before 1824, possibly whilst they were excavating away the south-west section of the mount to construct a cottage, a "subterraeneous arched passage fifteen yards in length" was found. These two documentary sources suggest that the motte may have been of a similar type to the motte excavated at South Mimms
, Hertfordshire
in the 1960s. Although the South Mimms motte looked like a typical castle earthwork they found that "the tower was set within the motte, and the entrance to the castle was gained via a tunnel through the motte into the tower". Most of the mound at South Mimms had been revetted so that little of the motte was visible. It was probably built around 1141 by the Earl of Essex
. If the Towcester motte is of this form then it would be rare survival.
In 1392, during the ownership of Reginald de Grey, Baron Grey of Ruthyn
, a record of the manor in Towcester was made. Within the castle site was the manorial hall aligned north-south, which would have housed the bailiff and important guests and also be the place where the manorial court was held. It had chambers at both ends. The southern chamber, facing towards the gate appears to have been principal first-floor chamber, usually called a solar
, which like the Hall had a stone slated roof. The other chamber was thatched, suggesting that it may have been the bailiff's accommodation. Adjacent was a detached kitchen which with a stable attached. Both were thatched
with straw
. There were two great barns which were "at a distance" plus an oxhouse with stable and carthouse under one roof, a dovecote
and a sheepfold for 200 sheep.
In the late 15th century the Manor castle appears to have been vacated and a new Manor House constructed in Park Street Towcester. Part of this building still survives and is known as the Mint House.
In the winter of 1643/4 Towcester became the winter headquarters of the Royalist
cavalry
under Prince Rupert. The town was re-fortified and Bury Mount was converted into a platform for 2 cannon which was probably slighted when the Royalists left in the spring of 1644. From then on Bury Mount was used as an orchard and then as gardens for a cottage built at the foot of the mound. The cottages have now been demolished.
Council have plans for restoration of the Moat Lane area in Towcester including Bury Mount. Camlin Lonsdale, one of the UK’s leading landscape architecture practices, has been appointed to manage the design and restoration plans for Bury Mount and Mill Stream and how these important features will fit into the expansion of Towcester town centre and the significant expansion of housing in Towcester..
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, and has been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. The Motte probably dates back to the 11th Century when it was a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
fortification but over time has been subject to neglect.
Location
The Motte is in Moat Lane in the RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
town of Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
, England, located on the Roman Road of Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
now the A5 trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
which runs from Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
to Wroxeter
Wroxeter
Wroxeter is a village in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Wroxeter and Uppington and is located in the Severn Valley about south-east of Shrewsbury.-History:...
via London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is similar to other local Mottes located at Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
, Little Houghton
Little Houghton, Northamptonshire
Little Houghton is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England, located about east of Northampton. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 367 people....
and Newport Pagnell
Newport Pagnell
Newport Pagnell is a town in the Borough of Milton Keynes , England. It is separated by the M1 motorway from Milton Keynes itself, though part of the same urban area...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. It would have been strategically placed to control primary transport routes and river crossings. The Towcester Motte controlled the junction of Watling Street and long distance route from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
which went through Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
and Northampton, now the A34 and A43
A43 road
The A43 is a primary route in the English Midlands, that runs from the M40 motorway near Ardley in Oxfordshire to Stamford in Lincolnshire. Through Northamptonshire it bypasses the towns of Northampton, Kettering and Corby which are the three principal destinations on the A43 route...
trunk roads. The Motte is located in Towcester on the north-east side of the A5 in Moat Lane, at the side of Towcester Town Hall next to St Leonard's Church and east of what was the market square now used as a car park.
Construction
It comprised a small baileyMotte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
and a tall motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
surrounded by a large ditch. The motte may not have been of the standard conical mound form. More historical details are described on the South Northant's Council's website including the restoration project for the motte and all the Moat Lane area..
History
The most likely period for its construction was the Great Anarchy period (1135–1152), when England was divided between the supporters of King StephenStephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
and Empress Maud. It was about the time that the Manor of Towcester passed from the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
to the St. Hiliary family. The castle would have been used as a symbol of power, been the residence of the lord of the manor's bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
or reeve
Reeve (England)
Originally in Anglo-Saxon England the reeve was a senior official with local responsibilities under the Crown e.g. as the chief magistrate of a town or district...
, an encampment for troops and cavalry raised during periods of hostility and offer hospitality to the lord and his retinue whilst travelling. It was to be dominated by a large motte surrounded by a ditch and topped by a tower which created both a stronghold and a watchtower
Watchtower
A watchtower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military, and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may...
.
Documentary evidence shows that in the 15th century there was a gate at the junction of the two lanes leading into the bailey. In this area would be living quarters for the constable of the castle and the small permanent garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
, detached kitchens, a brewhouse
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
, barns and sheds for storage of food and equipment, stabling, privies, a well and accommodation for livestock. It would have been tightly packed with buildings and would have bustled with activity when fully garrisoned.
The traditional view is that earth mottes had palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
s around the summit of the motte which was approached by a flying bridge
Flying bridge
A flying bridge is a area on top of, or at the side of, a ship's pilothouse, or closed bridge, that serves as an operating station for the ship's officers in good weather or when maneuvering in port, where good views along the ship sides are important...
or ladder and within this well defended upper section would have been a tall timber tower. The few excavations of mottes that have occurred show they varied considerably in form. There is the possibility that Bury Mount does not follow the standard form. In 1392 it was described as a mound tower within a moat, which suggests that it would have had a stone tower as a wooden tower is unlikely at that date. Shortly before 1824, possibly whilst they were excavating away the south-west section of the mount to construct a cottage, a "subterraeneous arched passage fifteen yards in length" was found. These two documentary sources suggest that the motte may have been of a similar type to the motte excavated at South Mimms
South Mimms
South Mimms, sometimes spelt South Mymms, is a village and civil parish forming part of the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire County Council in the East of England although geographically and historically is in the County of Middlesex.-History:...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in the 1960s. Although the South Mimms motte looked like a typical castle earthwork they found that "the tower was set within the motte, and the entrance to the castle was gained via a tunnel through the motte into the tower". Most of the mound at South Mimms had been revetted so that little of the motte was visible. It was probably built around 1141 by the Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex is a title that has been held by several families and individuals. The earldom was first created in the 12th century for Geoffrey II de Mandeville . Upon the death of the third earl in 1189, the title became dormant or extinct...
. If the Towcester motte is of this form then it would be rare survival.
In 1392, during the ownership of Reginald de Grey, Baron Grey of Ruthyn
Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn
Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn , a powerful Welsh marcher lord, succeeded to the title on his father Reginald's death in July 1388.- Lineage :...
, a record of the manor in Towcester was made. Within the castle site was the manorial hall aligned north-south, which would have housed the bailiff and important guests and also be the place where the manorial court was held. It had chambers at both ends. The southern chamber, facing towards the gate appears to have been principal first-floor chamber, usually called a solar
Solar (room)
The solar was a room in many English and French medieval manor houses, great houses and castles, generally situated on an upper storey, designed as the family's private living and sleeping quarters...
, which like the Hall had a stone slated roof. The other chamber was thatched, suggesting that it may have been the bailiff's accommodation. Adjacent was a detached kitchen which with a stable attached. Both were thatched
Thatching
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge , rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates...
with straw
Straw
Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and...
. There were two great barns which were "at a distance" plus an oxhouse with stable and carthouse under one roof, a dovecote
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
and a sheepfold for 200 sheep.
In the late 15th century the Manor castle appears to have been vacated and a new Manor House constructed in Park Street Towcester. Part of this building still survives and is known as the Mint House.
In the winter of 1643/4 Towcester became the winter headquarters of the Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
under Prince Rupert. The town was re-fortified and Bury Mount was converted into a platform for 2 cannon which was probably slighted when the Royalists left in the spring of 1644. From then on Bury Mount was used as an orchard and then as gardens for a cottage built at the foot of the mound. The cottages have now been demolished.
Restoration
South NorthamptonshireSouth Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire is a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council is based in Towcester.The district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 79,293 people in 2000 and 91,000 in 2008, a 14.8% increase. The largest town in the district is Brackley, which has a...
Council have plans for restoration of the Moat Lane area in Towcester including Bury Mount. Camlin Lonsdale, one of the UK’s leading landscape architecture practices, has been appointed to manage the design and restoration plans for Bury Mount and Mill Stream and how these important features will fit into the expansion of Towcester town centre and the significant expansion of housing in Towcester..