Monument record 0030600000 - BOLEBEC CASTLE

Summary

Medieval motte and bailey castle known as Bolbec Castle, surviving as earthwork remains.

Protected Status/Designation

Ancient Monument 1009536: BOLEBEC CASTLE, A MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE 300M WEST OF ST JOHN'S CHURCH
Planning Notification Area: Medieval motte and bailey castle at Bolbec Castle

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Type and Period (1)

MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Dimensions - Length 200m, Width 100m.
May have been thrown up by Hugh de Bolebec during Anarchy 1147. Little known of buildings but apparently had a masonry keep (B7).
Natural eminence artificially scarped to form defences of motte, with triangular shaped bailey to N now separated from motte by road. Traces of foundations on summit (B6).
Watching brief carried out by Andrew Pike during trenching for a ?water or ?sewer pipe in September 1979. The trench which was about 0.75m deep and 17.5cm wide was entirely located within the silts of the castle ditch and the sides and base of the ditch were not identified. The trench cut into the make-up of the bailey bank only in the NE corner of the site where the bank comprised compacted chalk and flint (B13).

Sources (14)

---SBC18737 Aerial Photograph: 28/05/47. RAF 116.3051. SP\805209. Yes.
<1>SBC26953 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 3). Volume 3. pp508-511.
<2>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. p774.
<3>SBC6440 Bibliographic reference: HOLLOWAY J 1889 TWO LECTURES ON...WHITCHURCH PP24- 26.
<4>SBC16765 Bibliographic reference: G W Wilson. 1909. Chronicles of Whitchurch. pp82-3.
<5>SBC20350 Bibliographic reference: A Hadrian Allcroft. 1908. Earthwork of England. pp436-437.
<6>SBC20467 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1913. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire. Volume 2. pp324-325.
<7>SBC20462 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1925. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume III. Volume 3. pp443-444.
<8>SBC13706 Bibliographic reference: D F Renn. 1968. NORMAN CASTLES IN BRITAIN.
<9>SBC23634 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. 1977. OS RECORD CARD SP 72 SE 3.
<10>SBC14046 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1992. SCHEDULING LISTS OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
<11>SBC11614 Unpublished document: Mike Farley (BCM). 1994. NOTES FOLLOWING FIELD VISIT IN JANUARY 1994.
<12>SBC5045 Verbal communication: FARLEY M E JULY 1998 SITE VISIT (PHOTO, FILED).
<13>SBC23635 Unpublished document: Andrew Pike (BCM). 1979. Correspondence with HBMC following watching brief.

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 7996 2081 (135m by 206m) (2 map features)
Civil Parish	WHITCHURCH, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire