Monument record 776/1 - Castle Dykes Motte & Bailey

Motte and treble bailey seen as earthworks. Medieval pottery and fragments of an Iron Age plough have been recovered from the site. There are four enclosures, a circular keep, supported by courts east and west, and a large court on the north west. Scheduled.

{1} The circular keep is distinctly a ramparted enclosure and not a mound. The approach to it was
probably from the west yard in the form of a bridge. The yards supporting and defending the keep, roughly east and west, are also of special interest, that on the east being the smaller of the two. The rampart on the east side of the west yard, and the double entrenchment on the south east of the east yard should be noticed. The large enclosure on the north north west, once ploughed, now bare, is rather peculiar; it seems rather small to answer to the large outside enclosures connected with other motte castles that formed settlements within the jurisdiction of the governor of the castle. The causeway from this enclosure to the west yard and the opening on the west from the outside are probably the original entrances, if there were no stonework connected with the stronghold then movable bridges of wood most likely existed.
The large enclosure on the north north west, once ploughed, now bare, is rather peculiar; it seems rather small to answer to the large outside enclosures connected with other motte castles that formed settlements within the jurisdiction of the governor of the castle. The causeway from this enclosure to the west yard and the opening on the west from the outside are probably the original entrances, if there were no stonework connected with the stronghold then movable bridges of wood most likely existed.

{5} Motte and baileys (SP 618567), known as Castle Dykes, stands in the N of the parish on almost level ground on Northampton Sand at 152 m above OD. Most of the site is overgrown and difficult of access. Immediately to the E the ground falls steeply into a deep valley and to the S is another steep-sided tributary valley. The castle thus has a superb site with extensive views to the N, E and S and only on the W and NW are there no natural obstacles.

The motte stands in the centre of the S side and is circular, up to 2 m above the natural land-surface and 4 m above the bottom of the wide encircling ditch. The summit is edged by a low bank some 3 m–4 m wide and up to 0.5 m high, apparently constructed of stone rubble. The interior of the motte has a large depression 1.5 m deep in it, perhaps as a result of the digging there in the 18th century. On each side of the motte is a semicircular bailey, that on the W being more regular than the one on the E, each bounded by a massive bank up to 2.5 m high above a broad outer ditch. A gap in the E side of the E bailey appears to be modern. In the SE corner the bailey ditch bifurcates and the branches are separated by a length of bank. No reason for this can be seen. To the N is a third, large, D-shaped bailey bounded by a bank 2.3 m high and, except in the S, by an outer ditch up to 1.75 m deep. The N.E. corner of the ditch has recently been destroyed by a modern track. The interior is under cultivation. There are two apparently modern entrances into it on the N.W. and E. and an original causeway links this bailey to the SW one across its S ditch.

Workmen digging for building-stone on the site before 1712 are said to have discovered a 'room with a vaulted stone roof, and another room beneath', as well as 'rudely carved' stones with human figures on them. A medieval floor tile, said to be from Castle Dykes, is in the possession of Daventry School. Nothing is known of the history of the site but in its present form it presumably dates from the late 11th or the 12th century. However it is possible that part of the outer ramparts are of Iron Age origin, particularly those of the two semicircular baileys. Roman finds said to be from this site may in fact have come from the prehistoric enclosure to the S.

{6} Outlines the possibility that this was the site of an earlier Roman fortification before the motte and bailey was established.

{7} The great encampment of Castle Dykes seems to have been either formed, or altered, by the Romans. It was a fortress of great strength and magnitude.

{17} During World War II Castle Dykes was used for military training with live use or disposal of ammuntion, grenades etc.

{19} The mound of the castle motte stands 5m above the surrounding ditch and is about 80m in
diameter at its base. The remains of stone walls are identifiable on the motte mound. The motte is
centrally placed between two lateral inner baileys which lie to wast and west of it. The motte is centrally placed between two lateral inner baileys which lie to east and west of the motte. The baileys consist of well defined floor areas, approx 70m wide in the west bailey and about 62m wide in the east bailey. Both are surrounded by a substantial bank 3m high. A causeway crosses the ditch and provides access from the outer bailey to the western inner bailey.
To the north of the motte and inner baileys lies the outer bailey which measures about 108m by 110m. The whole monument is enclosed by a large ditch up to 3m deep, with an outer bank up to 2.5m high.

{20} Morton has given a circumstantial detail of the digging in the ruins of Castle Dykes for stones to build the house which is now standing a small distance from the castle hill. The workmen discovered a room with a vaulted roof, and another beneath.

"Amongst other stones in the rubbish they met with three, very rudely carved, each with an ill proportioned figure standing out upon it... All were placed with the faces outwards in the wall of the said house". Two are still there, but are mere corbels of no very remote antiquity (a). Plan.

{21} 13/14th century shelly ware picked up on outer ramparts.

{26} The earthworks comprise a ring motte with three baileys as described above. See annotated 25" survey.

[27} A tangled plough share with spatulate blade (tang broken) found from an enclosure on this site.

{28} Listed by Cathcart King.

{31} Section, drawings, plans, sketches, measurements;

Historic England, Undated, RING MOTTE AND TREBLE BAILEY `IN EXCEEDINGLY FINE AND PERFECT CONDITION'.CIRCULAR KEEP DISTINCTLY A RAMPARTED ENCLOSURE AND NOT A MOUND (Archive). SNN115886.

<1> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.409 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<2> Kenyon J.R., 2008, Castles, Town Defences and Artillery Fortifications in the United Kingdom and Ireland: A Bibliography 1945 - 2006, (unchecked) (Bibliography). SNN106309.

<3> 1999, The Thing In The Woods, (unchecked) (Article). SNN100673.

<4> Lanning K.; Pearson V.; Walker D., 1995, Castles in Northamptonshire: A Resource Pack for Teachers, (unchecked) (Educational Resource Pack). SNN75536.

<5> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.86 site 4 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<6> Pegg, J, 2010, Landscape Analysis and Appraisal: Church Stowe, Northamptonshire as a Candidate Site for the Battle of Watling Street, (checked) (Document). SNN108303.

<7> 1819, New British Traveller, p.652 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN108813.

<8> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<9> Hatton G.; Hayward D., 2014, Castle Dykes (medieval), Castle Yard (prehistoric), (unchecked) (Report). SNN109935.

<10> DOWNMAN E.A., 1908, Ancient earthworks in Northamptonshire, 27 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN60129.

<11> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.61 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<12> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.216 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<13> Stukeley W., 1776, Itinerarium Curiosum, p.114 (unchecked) (Series). SNN55468.

<14> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, Drawer: Earthwork 2 (unchecked) (Archive). SNN115.

<16> Anon, Undated, Castle Dykes (sketch plan & notes), (unchecked) (Plan). SNN57374.

<17> FRANKS MR, 1999, Oral report to SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN50506.

<18> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire, p.543 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10113.

<19> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (part checked) (Report). SNN47128.

<20> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.375 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<21> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1981, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1980, p204 Farthingstone (Article). SNN100418.

<22> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP65NW3 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<23> Farthingstone Parish Council, 1999, A History of Farthingstone, (unchecked) (Book). SNN108814.

<24> 1882, The Archaeological Journal (39), p.78-80 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN14407.

<25> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, Parish Files (unchecked) (Archive). SNN115.

<26> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 BHS 29-JAN-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<27> BAR, 1979, Agricultural Implements of Prehistoric and Roman Britain, p. 272 (Series). SNN17970.

<28> 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. 316 (Book). SNN112899.

<29> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.416; (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<30> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 889494 (Archive). SNN112900.

<31> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/110/2-7 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:57PM