Toddington Castle
Encyclopedia
Toddington Castle, today known as "Conger Hill Motte", was a castle
located in the village of Toddington
, in the county of Bedfordshire
, England
.
castle, made first of timber and later of stone, that dates from prior to the 13th century, when it was listed as the stronghold of Sir Paulinus Pegure (Paul Pever). In records from 1597, it was referred to as "Toddington Conger Hill", most likely in reference to its use as a rabbit warren
during the 16th century.
The site is a Scheduled Monument, classified as a medieval
motte. Only earthworks
remain.
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...
located in the village of Toddington
Toddington, Bedfordshire
Toddington is a large village and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire, England which is situated 5 miles NNW of Luton, north of Dunstable, south west of Woburn and 35 miles NNW of London on the A5120 and B579. It is 0.5 miles from Junction 12 of the M1 motorway and lends its...
, in the county of Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Details
It was a motte-and-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...
castle, made first of timber and later of stone, that dates from prior to the 13th century, when it was listed as the stronghold of Sir Paulinus Pegure (Paul Pever). In records from 1597, it was referred to as "Toddington Conger Hill", most likely in reference to its use as a rabbit warren
Warren (free)
Free warren—often simply warren—refers to a type of franchise or privilege conveyed by a sovereign in mediaeval England to a subject, promising to hold them harmless for killing game of certain species within a stipulated area, usually a wood or small forest...
during the 16th century.
The site is a Scheduled Monument, classified as a medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
motte. Only earthworks
Earthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
remain.