Monument record 0038900000 - THE MOUNT, PRINCES RISBOROUGH

Summary

Medieval moated enclosure known as The Mount, recorded in excavation. The site of a rectangular enclosure with a moated annexe, now largely destroyed by a car park. Excavated in 1955 when various remains were uncovered, including wall footings, pottery, decorated paving tiles and a coin of Edward I, minted in 1280/1. The evidence suggested that the site had been occupied from the 13th to the 18th century. This is thought to be the site of the manor of Edward the Black Prince. A stud is documented here from as early as the 11th century and may have occupied the annexe attached to the embanked enclosure. The only upstanding remains of the enclosure survive as an earthen bank dividing a path from the churchyard.

Protected Status/Designation

Scheduled Monument BU4: The Mount (DBC7119)

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Type and Period (4)

ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Plan Form - RECTANGULAR
CONTAINED WITHIN RAMPART. NW SIDE OUTER DITCH, GAP ON SE (B1).
TRACES OF OUTER BANK TO NW (B2).
WHOLE SITE NOW CAR PARK: LITTLE SURVIVAL (B3-4).
EXCAVATED BY F H PAVRY & G M KNOCKER IN 1955. GROUP OF BUILDINGS ASSUMED FROM 1346-65 REGISTER OF EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE (B5-6).
SCHEDULED (B4).
Evaluation in 2001 ahead of proposed development failed to find any archaeological features, a modern concrete culvert had destroyed whatever had remained of the section of medieval ditch which would have lain in the development area (B12).

SP 805034: The Mount (NR). SP 80620359: Moat (NR) (B13).
The Mount. A roughly rectangular enclosure, with the remains of a bank on the NW, NE and SE sides, and having to the north a large annexe, bounded by a shallow depression which curves from the NW corner towards the moat at SP 80620359. Excavated (ahead of development) in 1955, and found to be almost certainly the site of the Black Prince's manor of Risborough, which is well documented in "The Register of Edward the Black Prince". Considerable building remains were uncovered, and occupation was found to have started in the 13th c, reached its peak in the 14th c, and died out in the 18th c. The Manor had posessed an important stud, and it is suggested that the stables and paddocks were contained in the annexe (B5).
A ditch and depression, with a small rough square feature show to the west of the Mount (B14).
A car park has now been constructed over most of the area and few features survive. Published survey revised. The air-photo features to the west of the Mount could not be identified on the ground (B15).
Listed as a possible castle by Cathcart King (B16).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.

Sources (17)

<1>SBC20466 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1912. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire Volume 1. Volume 1. p270.
<2>SBC10628 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. OS RECORD CARD.
<3>SBC11896 Verbal communication: PIKE A R & FARLEY M E (BCM) AUG 1978 FIELD VISIT.
<4>SBC14007 Scheduling record: HBMC. 1924. SCHEDULING LISTS OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
<5>SBC11623 Article in serial: F H Pavry & G M Knocker. 1958. 'THE MOUNT, PRINCES RISBOROUGH', IN RECS OF BUCKS16 PP131-178. Vol 16.
<6>SBC14577 Bibliographic reference: SITE NOTEBOOKS, PLANS, PHOTOS ETC (FILED).
<7>SBC26952 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 2). Volume 2. pp427,434.
<8>SBC20350 Bibliographic reference: A Hadrian Allcroft. 1908. Earthwork of England. p457.
<9>SBC20461 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1908. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume II. Volume 2. pp261-263.
<10>SBC5761 Article in serial: Christopher Gowing. 1969. NOTE IN RECS OF BUCKS 18 P334 (PLANBYCNGOWING, FILED). Vol 18.
<11>SBC1287 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire County Museum. BCM ACCESSIONS REGISTERS 1938, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1968, 1972 & 1973.
<12>SBC19156 Unpublished document: RPS Consultants. 2001. Land at Manor Park Avenue, Princes Risborough.
<13>SBC29091 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1921. OS 25" 1921.
<14>SBC29092 Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1413 RS 4148-9 14-Apr-1946.
<15>SBC28220 Verbal communication: J R Linge. 1974. Field Investigators Comments - F1 JRL 10-OCT-74.
<16>SBC28066 Unpublished document: David Cathcart King. 1983. Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery.
<17>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Insert 2004, Update 2011.

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 8051 0349 (160m by 190m)
Civil Parish	PRINCES RISBOROUGH, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

Related Events/Activities (4)

Event - Intervention: Evaluation 2001 (EBC15938)
Event - Intervention: Rescue excavation: The Mount, Princes Risborough (EBC12355)
Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC13461)
Event - Intervention: Watching brief: THE MOUNT, PRINCES RISBOROUGH (EBC18887)

Record last edited

Feb 11 2026 2:43PM