Monument record 4268/1/2 - Medieval fishpond (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Earthwork: Non-destructive fieldwork

{2} North of the castle and lying parallel to the stream is a large pond bounded on the north and west by a massive bank up to 2m high which retained the water. It is difficult to see from where the water was obtained, for it is considerably higher than the adjacent stream, and a gap through the bank on the north side, leading to the stream, appears to be an overflow leet. The interior of the pond is covered with ridge-and-furrow.
The capital messuage, later to be the castle, is first mentioned in an undated document of the mid 12th century. Around 1200 ‘Henry de Braybroc released to the Abbot and Convent of Pipewell all his rights in the dam which Robert de Braibroc his father had made in Braibroc so that the water of the dam may have its course to Henry’s fishpond as it used to have’. This suggests that part of the existing fishponds was constructed in the late 12th century.

{5} Observation of a flood alleviation scheme carried out in autumn 1985 revealed that much of the bank between the fishpond and the stream is undisturbed bedrock with only the upper levels being man made. Pottery provisionally dated to the period 1150-1250 was found buried within a soil horizon in the bank and supports previous inferences that part of the existing fishponds was constructed then.

{6} In the area of the dam the top of the bank was 5m wide and stood some 1.8m high above the bottom of the fishpond, and 4.3m above water level in the cutting. Thus the stream is considerably lower than the fishpond at this point and it is not clear how the water was obtained to fill the pond.
A man made feature was exposed below the bank. It did not continue to the north side of the cutting and was therefore probably a large pit rather than a ditch. No dating evidence was obtained from it.

{7} Remedial channel protection works were carried out in July 1988. In the area of the works the top of the fishpond bank stood up to 3.8m above the water level. The 15m long section revealed in cutting the revetment recess presented a fairly uniform appearance and was recorded with schematic sections at its centre and ends; these showed the man made bank to be approx. 0.5m in depth. No finds or artefacts were recovered.

{9} Condition survey undertaken on site of Braybrooke castle. Many of the earthworks in good condition, but some parts being actively eroded and worn. Problems identified as stock, prolonged period of dry weather and presence of thorn trees and bushes. Major area of erosion on main fishponds - details given in report.

<1> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.11 site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> Taylor P., 1992, Fishponds Report 1992, (checked) (Report). SNN1339.

<4> Jackson, D., 1987, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49063.

<5> Dix B.(ed), 1986-7, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1985-6, (checked) (Report). SNN100334.

<6> Jackson, D., 1985, Braybrooke Castle and Fishponds, (checked) (Report). SNN55153.

<7> Cadman, G., 1988, Braybrooke Castle and Deserted Medieval Village: Report on Scheduled Monument Consent Watching Brief, July 1988, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN51812.

<8> Cadman, G., 1995, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49968.

<9> Cadman, G., 1995, Braybrooke Castle and Fishponds: Condition Inspection, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN109255.

<10> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, 24/118 (checked) (Article). SNN104441.

<11> CADMAN G.E., 1989, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter, 19/24 (checked) (Note). SNN39498.

Record last edited

Feb 6 2014 1:07PM