Monument record 7196/89 - Duchy of Lancaster Manor: Manor House

The Inner Bailey appears to lie partly within the car park to the north of the churchyard and partly within the churchyard. The area immediately to the west of the car park has been deeply terraced in for the construction of post medieval buildings now demolished. The churchyard extension stands well over a metre higher than this and also stands higher than the car park. It may well survive near to the height of survival as it was in the 18th century but this area has been subject to disturbance by an uncertain degree of burial. The car park area thus appears to have been levelled, although a very limited rise is visible. Evaluation trenching has shown good survival across the area including late Saxon and early medieval pre castle deposits as well as medieval castle related activity.

{1} Excavation immediately to the north of the church has shown that the castle site was occupied prior to the construction of the defences. This late Saxon and early medieval activity, which includes structural evidence, may represent the site of the late Saxon and early medieval manor prior to the construction of the castletle. In 1298 the manor included a capital messuage with garden, dovehouse and fishpond worth 6/8d. This was clearly associated with the castle, for in 1313-14 there are references to the gate of the manor and to the field gate outside the manor, implying that it was a discrete part of the outer ward of the castle. In 1591 the manor, of which Robert Redale was then the tenant, was specifically described as having been within the castle itself, 'standing in a place called the Castell yard nere the church which hath bene of long time decaied'. It is stated in the 1649 survey that the capital messuage or 'Manor place called the Castle Yard' occupied by Thomas Rudd, lay immediately north of the churchyard between it and the Connygarth and bounded by the lane to Mr Freeman's house on the east. The manor then comprised a malting house of 8 bays, a hay barn of 3 bays and a large dovehouse well stored. For a full discussion of the position of the manor house see section 3.2.1 in full report.

<1> Foard G.; Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Higham Ferrers (Medieval - Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100543.

<2> 1591, Bibliotheque Nationale Paris, Mss 706 Anglais, Acq. Nouv. No.58, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100545.

Record last edited

Apr 28 2014 3:59PM