Monument record 747/1 - Large medieval fishpond, Silverstone

Earthworks of a fishpond, part of an extensive system of ponds which were documented during the 13th/14th century, but not depicted on a map of 1600. A leat near the pond may indicate the presence of a nearby watermill.

{1} Fishponds (SP 667446; Fig. 104), lie to the N.W. of the village, in the bottom of a broad open valley draining N.E. and in one of its tributary valleys, on alluvium be tween 105 m. and 112 m. above OD. The ponds are associated with a royal hunting lodge at Silverstone and are referred to in a number of 13th-century documents. For example in 1227 the sheriff of Northampton was ordered 'to cause the broken ponds of the Kings stews of Silverston ... and the bays of the same to be repaired' (Cal. Lib. 1, 23). In 1241 the bailiffs of Silverstone were asked to 'aid William the Kings fisherman, whom he is to send to fish in his stews at Silverston and to send the fish that he shall catch to the King without delay' (Cal. Lib. II, 31) and in 1244 the keepers of the 'stew of Silverstone' were told to 'aid Geoffrey Corburn and William the Kings fisherman, whom he is sending to fish there, to carry their fish to the King at Woodstock' (Cal. Lib. II, 217). Soon after, the King ordered that his servants were to 'search out nets in the town of Oxford with which William the Kings fisherman, whom he is sending to Silverstone, can fish in the Kings stews there and to carry them to Woodstock' (Cal. Lib. III, 83–3). In 1257 the King allocated the men of Silverstone '4 shillings spent in taking 20 pike in the Kings stews at Silverstone and in salting them and carrying them to London' (Cal. Lib. IV, 415). The later history of the ponds is unknown for royal interest in the hunting lodge ceased in the early 14th century. The ponds are not marked on a map of Whittlewood Forest of about 1600 (NRO).

{2} Fishpond (SP 667446) one of an extensive system of such ponds [see also SP 64 SE 3]. The ponds were well documented in the 13th and 14th centuries when they were supplying fish to the royal court. Their later history is unknown, but the ponds are not marked on a map of 1600. The main pond was originally held back by a dam 3 m. high. When full the pond would have been probably the largest artificial pond in the county. The parish boundary with Abthorpe has been apparently altered to run along the NW edge of the pond presumably by Royal Command to avoid the legal and administrative problems of having the pond in two parishes. A leat running along the SE side of the pond may suggest the former presence of a watermill near the dam. [RCHM plan]. (1)

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 132-4/Site 2 (Series). SNN77382.

<2> STEANE J.M., 1970, The Medieval Fishponds of Northamptonshire, p. 308 (Journal). SNN4943.

<3> c1608, Whittlewood Forest Map, NRO 4210 (Map). SNN13327.

<4> Aerial Photograph, CUAP AWN68 (Photographs). SNN112974.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:57PM