Monument record 805/1/3 - Outer Bailey, Fotheringhay Castle

{1} Earthworks of a medieval/ post medieval motte and bailey castle. The original motte and inner bailey are in good condition but the moated outer court is mutilated. The motte is 7m high, 70m in diameter and 30m across its top, and is bounded and the north and west sides by a moat. The outer bailey is surrounded on three sides by a moat. There are additional earthworks to the south east of the outer bailey.

{2} The irregular surface on the top of the motte indicates the remains of a stone keep. A ditch probably originally surrounded the motte, and a ditch of similar size surrounds the inner and outer bailey areas. The subrectangular inner bailey measures 65 x 50m and traces of an earthern rampart remain. At the north east corner of the outer bailey are the remains of a sluice gate associated with the water-management system of the bailey ditches. The outer bailey ditch on the north and west sides has been largely filled in. Aerial photos: NCCAP:TL0693/026-28

{3}Attempt to locate internal features to assist with an interpretation project on the castle. The best results came from the Inner Bailey where the previous layout of buildings could be reconstructed by combining the results of magnetometer and resistivity survey with a descriptive survey of 1625. No significant results were obtained from the summit of the motte, which appeared to have been extensively disturbed in the past, or from the outer bailey.

{4} Evidence suggeats that the outer most did not continue north west in a straight line as depicted on the RCHM plan but began to bend to the west acorss the northern corner of the farmyard, thus giving a rather rounder north east corner to the moat.

{5} The postion of the moat was identified by geophysical survey.

{6} Earthwork survey and discussion of remains of the castle

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.43-7 site 34 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77379.

<2> FOARD G.R., 1984, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN50937.

<3> Pike, A (ed), 1992, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (22), 22/36 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN100613.

<4> IVENS R.J., 2007, Report on An Archaeological Watching Brief at Castle Farm, Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire, 2007, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN106007.

<5> Masters, P., 1991, Geophysical Survey at Fotheringhay Castle, Fotheringhay, Northants 1991, (checked) (Report). SNN40394.

<6> Albion Archaeology, 2002, Fotheringhay Castle, 'Little Park' and Adjacent Earthworks, Northamptonshire, pp.22-4 (checked) (Report). SNN102585.

<7> Parry, S, 2019, Aerial and geophysical surveys at Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, October 2017-May 2018 (Report). SNN111625.

Record last edited

May 3 2022 3:31PM