Monument record 130/4/3 - Fishponds

{1}Very extensive fishponds, later described as the 'Fischeweeres' by Leland, had existed at Brackley on the west and south sides of the castle in the 12th or early 13th century. These ponds clearly extended into the townships of both Evenley, where closes called Fishweres are found adjacent to the castle, and Hinton where landowners later released rights of common in connection with the former fishponds (see below). Their position and layout would suggest that they were constructed as an integral part of the castle defences. A similar origin may exist for the pond adjacent to the Oxford road and Castle Mill with its mill pond.

The ponds may have gone out of use at the same time as the castle. The fishponds, or at least part of them, had certainly been drained by 1250 when various landholders in Brackley and Hinton released to the Hospital of St John their rights of common pasture in the meadow above the castle, formerly a fishpond given to the Hospital by the Earl of Winchester. This pond seems to have been enclosed by the Hospital later in the 13th century for in 1297 there was a dispute, settled in their favour, over the enclosure of the ‘old fishpond’ which they had been granted by the Earl. The area to the north west of the castle has been cleaned out and recreated as a large pond in the 1970s and during this work large masonry blocks, possibly related to the original medieval construction, were reportedly discovered. It is unlikely that much survives of the pond deposits though the structures of the dam may have lain closer to the castle and could have survived the modern disturbance.

{2} The supposed fishpond was first tentatively defined by the exposure of the soilmark. This was limited on the south by the edge of the excavation trench, on the north by the exposed surface of the bedrock and on the east by a retaining bank. C12 and C13 pottery was found in the fills but no flowing water species of molluscs were present as expected. It is difficult to see what other purpose than a fishpond this feature might haver served however. The wall of the feature sealed the castle moat further west.

<1> Ballinger J.; Foard G., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Brackley, Section 3.1.2.2 Fishponds (Digital archive). SNN100499.

<2> BARCHAM R., 1985, DRAFT ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT, (unchecked) (Report). SNN56197.

<3> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1983, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1982, p.176 (unchecked) (Article). SNN24591.

Record last edited

Aug 14 2012 1:18PM