Monument record 403/2 - Barby Castle (Possible fortified Manor house)

The site of a manor house. The site consists of an oval flat-topped mound only 1 to 1.5 metres high, above the surrounding hillside, bounded by a broad flat-bottomed ditch 1 metre deep. There are slight traces of an outer bank on the south east side but modern housing development has encroached upon the ditch on the south and has destroyed a section of outer bank which is visible on air photographs. There are also traces of old boundaries and ridge and furrow. Scheduled.

{1} Site of a manor house known as Barby Castle and lies on a prominent rounded hill of clay dominating the village centre. It is presumably the site of an early manor house which had some form of defence. The field in which it stands was known as Hall Close in the early C19th. The site consists of an oval flat-topped mound only 1m to 1.5m above the surrounding hillside, bounded by a broad flat-bottomed ditch 1m deep. There are slight traces of an outer bank on the south-east side, but modern housing development has encroached upon the ditch on the south and has destroyed a section of this outer bank which is visible on air photographs. Earthwork plan.

{4} Earthwork survey by G.Foard dated 21/11/1988. Still to be drawn up.

{8} Earthwork of a possible medieval manor, now partly built over. A bank lies on the south side. Fieldname: Hall Close.

{9} Barby motte castle stands in a commanding position north of the village of Barby. The motte is an oval flat topped mound standing about 3m above the surrounding land, with a basal diameter of about 60m. The motte is surrounded by a broad flat bottomed ditch which is up to 1.5m deep. There are traces of a bank 0.5m high on the south east side of the site but earthworks of the bank and ditch on the south of the site have been heavily disturbed by modern housing development. The site is at present under grass and is used for pasture. This site, known locally as Barby Castle, is considered to be the site of the medieval manor house which was located in a defensive position, and trial excavations within the motte ditch have revealed medieval pottery. In the early nineteenth century the field in which the monument stands was known as Hall Close.

{10} NCCAP: SP5470/001-7.

{16} Marked as "Barby Castle, Castle Mound".

{18} Listed by Cathcart King.

{19} An elevated mound, strongly ditched about, except on the south where the bank has been nearly levelled in a new housing estate. A Castle Mound. See annotated 25" survey.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.13 Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<2> Cadman G., 1988, Barby Castle: Archaeological Evaluation Report, (unchecked) (Full Report). SNN55278.

<3> CADMAN G.E., 1988, Supplementary File- Barby Castle Evaluation, (unchecked) (Mention). SNN51819.

<4> FOARD G.R., 1988, Supplementary File, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN51720.

<5> Kenyon J.R., 2008, Castles, Town Defences and Artillery Fortifications in the United Kingdom and Ireland: A Bibliography 1945 - 2006, (unchecked) (Bibliography). SNN106309.

<6> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.264 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<7> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.412 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP57SW14 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<9> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (part checked) (Report). SNN47128.

<10> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<11> Cadman G., 1989, Barby Castle, (unchecked) (Note). SNN106316.

<12> Kenyon J.R., 2008, Castles, Town Defences and Artillery Fortifications in the United Kingdom and Ireland: A Bibliography 1945 - 2006, (unchecked) (Bibliography). SNN106309.

<13> Lanning K.; Pearson V.; Walker D., 1995, Castles in Northamptonshire: A Resource Pack for Teachers, (unchecked) (Educational Resource Pack). SNN75536.

<14> Cadman G., 1989, Barby Castle, p.23-4 (unchecked) (Note). SNN106316.

<15> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.264 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<16> 1967, OS 6 INCH MAP, SP57SW (unchecked) (Map). SNN9470.

<17> BROWN A.E., 1967, Ancient Monuments in Northamptonshire, p.39 (checked) (Chapter). SNN166.

<18> 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. 315 (Book). SNN112899.

<19> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 BHS 11-MAR-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<20> Royal Air Force, 1940s, RAF Vertical Aerial Photographs, RAF VAP CPE/UK/1994 1353-4 1482-3 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN105266.

<21> Aerial Photograph, AP (CUAP, ACA74,75) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<22> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 889248 (Archive). SNN112900.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:34PM