Monument record 1884/3 - Titchmarsh "Castle"

Site of one of the medieval manors of the village. It passed to the Lovell family in the 13th century. In 1304 a licence was obtained to crenellate the house, and by 1346-7 it was moated and enclosed by a stone wall. It was in ruins by 1363. The site was extensively excavated in 1887 when numerous limestone buildings were discovered in the interior. The buildings were apparently of two phases, it being suggested that the earliest buildings had been surrounded by a near circular wall and that these were demolished in the early 14th century and replaced with the manor house and present moat.The Chapel of St Stephen, extant between 1294 and 1462, may have been a domestic chapel associated with the manor house.

{1} Excavation of the site in 1887 by Sir Henry Dryden revealed considerable confused remains of buildings apparently of two phases, some of the older having been destroyed at the erection of the newer. Sir Henry thought that the earliest buildings had been surrounded by an almost circular wall and that this was perhaps an early 12th century castle, demolished by Sir John Lovell in the early 14th century and replaced by the present moat. At the three surviving angles the foundations of five-sided towers were found projecting from the walls.

Canon Lackock, rector 1912-1962 claimed the chapel stood in Dovecote Close at TL0275 7931. He gave no evidence to substantiate this claim and although the field does show disturbance it is more likely to have been the site of a dovecote, hence its name.

{2} The site is that of one of the manor houses of the village, which passed to the Lovell family in the mid 13th century. In 1304 John Lovell obtained a licence to crenellate his house which, on his death in 1345-7, was described as moated round and enclosed with a stone wall after the manner of a castle. In 1363 it was described as being in a ruinous condition.

The site was extensively excavated in 1887 when numerous limestone buildings were discovered in the interior; these were said to be of two periods. The buildings of the first period were surrounded by a wall of almost circular plan and these were destroyed by the rectangular moat, enclosing buildings, belonging to the second period. These later buildings were bounded by a wall with five-sided towers in the four corners.

The site consists of a small rectangular enclosure, surrounded by a ditch up to 3m deep with no indication of an original entrance. The interior is much disturbed and uneven as a result of excavation but traces of stone wall-footings along the edge of the ditch survive on the east side.

{3} Diagrams, measurements, sketches, notes, plans, sections;

{7} Licenced to crenellate Edward I 33-manerium; Edward I 34 dominu

{10} It is composed of the remains of the moated site of Titchmarsh Castle, a fishpond and the earthworks of the associated water management system. The moat island is almost completely surrounded by a substantial ditch 3m to 4m deep and up to 15m wide. There is an entrance causeway across the ditch in the north-west corner of the moat, and in the north-east corner the ditches have been partly infilled. The moat island is 70m square and in places remains of stonework can be seen just below the surface; when the area was excavated in 1887 remains of stone buildings were discovered.

{11} There was a small chantry chapel near the precinct of the castle dedicated to St. Stephen, and extant 1294-1462.

{14, 15} In 1304 Sir John Lovel obtained licence to crenellate his manor house, and by 1346-7 it was moated round and enclosed by a stone wall like a castle. By 1363 it was in ruins. Excavation of the site in 1887 by Sir Henry Dryden revealed considerable confused remains of buildings apparently of two phases, some of the older having been destroyed at the erection of the newer. Sir Henry thought that the earliest buildings had been surrounded by an almost circular wall, and that this was perhaps an early 12th c caslte, demolished by Sir John Lovel in the early 14th c and replaced by the present moat. At the three surviving angles, the foundations of five-sided towers were found projecting from the walls.

{16} Dryden shows external walls inclosing an irregular parallelogram with five-sided towers projecting from the walls at three of the angles. The remains of a building 38 foot E-W and 13 foot wide noticeable in the centre under grass. Mr. Babbs, farmer, recalled that "there is stone paving which looks like a chequer board when you slip a spade in". A heap of Collyweston type slates were found jutting out of the internal bank near the S. E. corner. Two fragments of Lyveden type pottery, pink fabrix with grey section, were found with the slates. A sizeable piece of ashlar masonry consisted of three ashlar blocks laid in line was noticed in the centre at the foot of the moat on the W side. This may be the abutments of a bridge.

The main moated enclosure is almost square and measures 212 foot E-W and 170 foot N-S. It consists of a platform with remains of buildings. The moat varies from 35 ft to 50 ft wide but has been partially filled in places.

{18} Mrs Belgian, a local historian, recalls that Canon Lackock, rector of Titchmarsh 1912-1962, told her that the chapel once stood on a tongue of land known as Dovecots Close and indicated the site at TL 0275 7931.

The site is permanent pasture and disturbances indicate former occupation but no trace of building foundations were seen. However it seems more likely that any building hereabouts would have been a dovecote. The late Cannon Lackock's siting for the chapel (last mentioned in 1462) must be considered most doubtful without substantiating evidence, and it may have been no more than a domestic chapel to the Manor House (TL 07 NW 1).

{19} The remaining earthworks are in good condition. There is much exposed masonry on the island but no buildings could be traced. See annotated 25" survey.

{20} Listed by Cathcart King.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL07NW1 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.99 site 23 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<3> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/273/8,9,12-38 (Archive). SNN115.

<4> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire- The Borough of Northampton, pp.143-4 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<5> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.736; (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<6> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, Titchmarsh, St Mary (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<7> Parker, Domestic Architecture in England, 3/PT2/405 (Book). SNN56159.

<8> 1961, H.M.S.O. List, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN8489.

<9> 1887, The Archaeological Journal (44), p.210 (checked) (Journal). SNN32071.

<10> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (part checked) (Report). SNN47128.

<11> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.388 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<12> Lanning K.; Pearson V.; Walker D., 1995, Castles in Northamptonshire: A Resource Pack for Teachers, (unchecked) (Educational Resource Pack). SNN75536.

<14> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.413 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<15> 1891, Associated Architectural Societies Reports, p.243-52 (unchecked) (Series). SNN8498.

<16> Council for British Archaeology, 1976, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (34), 6/25-6 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN104928.

<17> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:TL0279/002-4 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<18> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 03-NOV-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<19> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 03-NOV-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<20> Cathcart King, D J, 1983, Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands (Book). SNN112899.

<21> Historic England, Undated, Titchmarsh Castle (Archive). SNN115940.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:21PM