Monument record 0168800000 - CASTLE TOWER
Summary
Protected Status/Designation
- Archaeological Notification Area: Earthworks of Medieval motte and bailey castle (DBC9203)
- Scheduled Monument 1009534: CASTLE TOWER: A MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE 100M NORTH OF HILL HOUSE (DBC7112)
Map
Type and Period (1)
- MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Description
Dimensions - Height 2m, Radius 11m.
Plan Form - Oval.
Castle Tower encloses about ½ acre and is almost obliterated by the plough: it now consists of a mount, 106 feet in diameter & 3½ feet high, with a small bailey to the S (B1).
'Castle Tower motte & bailey' at NGR (B2).
Sits under grass & W ditch partly concealed under coppice. Mound diameter c22m & approx. 2m high. Defences nearly levelled on E. Perfectly acceptable as a small motte & bailey, with motte on up-slope side (B3).
A mound now about 10 feet in height surrounded by a ditch, & to S a bailey or inclosure about 50 yards in length. Site much ploughed down, but is interesting because of its size. Scheduled Monument 19056 (ex Bu31) (B4).
Oval mound 35 x 30m, 2.26m high. Surveyed November 1981 (B5-6).
(SU 92689967) Castle Tower Motte and Bailey (NR) (remains of) (B2)
Castle Tower. This work consists of a mount 106 ft in diameter and 3 1/2 ft high,, with a small bailey to the south. Condition, almost obliterated (B1).
A motte and bailey centred at SU 92679967 is much reduced and spread by the plough and now under permanent pasture.
The motte has a diameter of 27.0m and an average height of 1.7m. The bailey, to the S, is oval in plan and measures 35.0m N-S by 30.0m E-W.It is enclosed by an earthen bank 12.0m to 18.0m wide, up to 1.2m in height on the exterior but only 0.3m or less on the interior. There are traces of an outer ditch around the NE side of both motte and bailey. No entrance or causeway is now visible. Site resurveyed at 1:2500 (B7).
Survey of motte and bailey carried out by Mr S P O'Connor Thompson and Mrs J Taylor in November 1980 (B6).
Listed by Cathcart King (B8).
NRHE Insert 2001, Updates 1999, 2003, 2011 (B9).
Sources (9)
- <1>SBC20466 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1912. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire Volume 1. Volume 1. p234.
- <2>SBC10400 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1960. OS 1960 6-INCH MAP. 1:10,560.
- <3>SBC5300 Verbal communication: Mike Farley (BCM). 1975. PERS COMM FOLLOWING FIELD VISIT, 5TH MAY 1974.
- <4>SBC13978 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1992. SCHEDULING LISTS OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
- <5>SBC14978 Graphic material: S P O'Connor Thompson. 1981. SURVEY BY S.P.O'CONNOR THOMPSON (OXFORD IN-SERVICE STUDENT), NOV 1981.
- <6>SBC24523 Article in serial: S P O'Connor Thompson. 1981. 'Castle Tower, Little Missenden', in Recs of Bucks 22 pp140-141. Vol 22.
- <7>SBC28415 Verbal communication: A S Phillips. 1972. Field Investigator Comments - F1 ASP 14-FEB-1972.
- <8>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. p28.
- <9>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Refs: 1320089 - Index card; 205/I/9A..
Location
| Grid reference | SU 92670 99670 (point) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | LITTLE MISSENDEN, Chiltern, Buckinghamshire |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
- Event - Survey: HS2 remote sensing survey - CH-004-009 (EBC17799)
- Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC17680)
- Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17679)
Record last edited
Nov 20 2025 11:18AM
