Monument record 2247/1/1 - Thorpe Castle

Probable moated enclosure, although also interpreted as former quarry pits. Archaeological excavation undertaken in 1929-30 seem to have identified a large rectangular building, possibly a hall. Although the interpretation of the site as a castle/moated manor house has been disputed, geophysical survey undertaken in 2009 seems to confirm that is is the site of a castle.

{1} Moats and mounds noted.

{2} The 'moat' marked on OS maps to the west appears to be the result of quarrying, but it may have originated as a fishpond associated with the adjacent manor house.

{4} Earthwork of a possible moat and quarry and fishpond. Area of quarrying, flooded in winter, with a spoil mound to the north which gives an impression of a ditch.

{5} NMP: possible fishponds (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation). Earthwork: Good quality photography.

{6} Thorpe Waterville Castle (TL 022814) immediately S of Thorpe Waterville, on gravel at 25 m. above OD. Records have now come to light of an excavation carried out in 1929-30 on the site of the medieval manor house. A large rectangular building with walls 3 m. thick, possible a hall, discovered as well as fragments of other walls. The feature possibly a hall, was discovered as well as fragments of other walls. The feature described as a moat on the W edge of the site is in fact an old
gravel-pit.

{7} The position of the pit for the septic tank, close to the eastern arm of the moat, and the observation of the layers which were revealed during the excavation, showing a series of westerly sloping tip lines towards the centre of this arm of the moat, suggest that the pit had been dug through previous infillings and 'silting up' of the moat. The infilling and silting of this arm of the moat had probably taken place in numerous episodes over many hundreds of years since the demolition of the castle. More details given p.3-4.

{9} A castle was built in or about 1301 by the then lord of the manor, Bishop Walter de Langton. It was besieged in the C15th during the Wars of The Roses, and was at least partially ruined by the time John Leland saw it c.1537. To the west of the present day buildings lie the remains of a moat which encloses an area approximately 60m square. Whilst this might seem an obvious location for the castle, there has been a considerable degree of scepticism as to whether this is indeed the case. The current EH record suggests that the ‘moat’ comprises a large area of quarrying that is under permanent winter flood and, at best, is marsh. The same dismissive opinion is expressed in the RCHME Inventory.
The moat occupies a relatively flat piece of ground at about 27m AOD. It is bounded to its south and west by a meander of Thorpe Brook and lies immediately upstream of the brook’s confluence with the River Nene. Much of the southern and western part of the site is underlain by recent alluvium.
The geophysical survey has produced clear evidence for the location and layout of the castle. It was a substantial structure, roughly square in plan, with one round tower on the north-western [should read ‘south-western’) corner and, quite probably, another on the north-eastern [should read north-western] one. There is some evidence for internal structures, but the data does not permit a very detailed interpretation of these.
Some of the anomalies within the castle area lie on a notably different alignment from that of the castle itself. These are suggested to represent an earlier phase of construction – perhaps the manor house which occupied the site prior to the building of the castle.
Outside the moated area, slightly east of the barn, is a group of anomalies which may indicate the remains of other substantial structures. It is conceivable, though far from certain, that one of these could have been a gatehouse.
To the north of the castle is a broad band of uniformly low resistance correlating with the location of the moat. This curves round and butts against a narrow band of higher resistance, which marks the present entrance causeway. Beyond this, around the southern and western sides of the castle, there is a less well-defined area of low resistance which is probably a combined response to both the moat fill and the spread of alluvium alongside Thorpe Brook.
Overall, the survey results provide conclusive proof that Thorpe Castle House occupies the grounds of an earlier castle.

{10} A test pit excavated on the site of a proposed garden room. A number of modern and post-medieval deposits overlay the moat beneath. Three moat deposits were identified towards the base of the trench, which contained a large amount of limestone fragments, suggesting they were part of the backfilling phase. Pottery from the moat deposits dated to the late medieval period.

{11} License to crenellate 'mansum' at Thorpe Waterville in 1300-1.

{12} Medieval manor. "Castle" built in C12th by Ascelin de Waterville.

{13} The VCH states "there seems to be no historical or architectural evidence for this early date," and holds that the remains, a two-storey building of the 14th c. now used as a barn, are of a manor-house crenellated between 1301-7 by Bishop Langton; this was besieged in 1461, and probably more or less destroyed then.

{14} Account roll of Thorpe Waterville.

{16} Thorpe Castle House lies within a plot of land historically known as Thorpe Castle, in the village of Thorpe Waterville. The site is a Scheduled Monument.
The castle passed through many hands, including reversion to the crown following the attainder of some owners. In 1307 the castle was said to contain a chapel. In 1461 it was held for the Lancastrian cause against Edward IV, who ordered Sir John Wenllock to beseige it with three canon. It is thought to have been largely destroyed during this seige. Although a constable was still appointed as late as 1485, when Leland saw it in the 1530s he saw only ruins.

{19} Excavations in 1929-30. No indications are given of the precise location of the rather irregular trenches opened. Several disjointed walls were found but on the north side of the excavated area was a rectangular building at least 55ft by 33ft with walls 9ft thick, divided in two by a partition 3ft thick and possibly a hall.

{22} In an area 'alongside the house' were found large foundations suggesting previous building, possibly of the castle.

{23} There is no identifiable remains of an archaeological work at this site. The published "Moat" comprises a large area of quarrying that is under permanent winter flood and, at the best, is marsh. To the north of the quarried area a large spoil mound adjacent to the diggings tends to give a superficial impression of a ditch. The building described as "Castle" is a large barn that was originally a domestic structure. There is no architectural evidence to establish or confirm a 14 c date and the whole does not appear earlier than the 16c/17c - adjoining buildings have now been demolished.

<1> Evans, H A, 1918, Highways and Byways in Northamptonshire and Rutland, 72 (unchecked) (Book). SNN47454.

<2> SUPPLEMENTARY FILE, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN51917.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.96 Site 7 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL08SW10 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.193 Site 9 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<7> Foard-Colby A., 2006, Archaeological Watching Brief at Thorpe Castle House, Thorpe Waterville, Northamptonshire, (checked) (Report). SNN105589.

<8> 2007, Medieval Archaeology (51), (unchecked) (Journal). SNN106580.

<9> Walford J., 2009, Archaeological Geophysical Survey of Thorpe Waterville Castle, Northamptonshire, June 2009, p.1-6 (checked) (Report). SNN106570.

<10> Brocklehurst, L, 2015, Thorpe Castle House, Thorpe Waterville, Kettering, Northamptonshire: Archaeological evaluation report (Report). SNN112074.

<11> Parker, Domestic Architecture in England, 3/PART 2 (unchecked) (Book). SNN56159.

<12> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p. 367 (Book). SNN77326.

<13> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.135-9+N1 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<14> Woodfield P., 1981, The Larger Medieval Houses of Northamptonshire, p155 (unchecked) (Article). SNN23550.

<15> Lanning K.; Pearson V.; Walker D., 1995, Castles in Northamptonshire: A Resource Pack for Teachers, (unchecked) (Educational Resource Pack). SNN75536.

<16> Soden I., 2009, Archaeological Watching Brief at Thorpe Castle House, Thorpe Waterville, Northamptonshire, p.1-2 (checked) (Report). SNN106411.

<17> Kerr, W.J.B., 1922, Higham Ferrers and Its Ducal and Royal Castle and Park Part 2, (unchecked) (Book). SNN108294.

<18> Kerr W.J.B., 1922, Higham Ferrers Castle and Park, (unchecked) (Article). SNN60514.

<19> Brown A.E.; Hadman J.A., 1976, Some Forgotten Northamptonshire Excavations, 11/178 (unchecked) (Article). SNN107522.

<20> CORRESPONDENCE, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN60109.

<21> OUNDLE SCHOOL, 1930/31, Extracts from commemoration book, 1930/46-7+1931/48-50 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN60110.

<22> Kidner P.H., 1982, Correspondence, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN57520.

<23> Colquhoun, FD, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 FDC 17-MAR-70 (Notes). SNN111540.

<24> 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, p. 318 (Book). SNN112899.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:53PM