Motte and bailey. An irregular 0.3m deep depression on the east side of the summit of the motte, is thought to indicate the site of buildings on the motte summit. The bailey rampart is very slight compared to the size of the motte. The bailey is partially built over in the west and south, and […]

Motte and bailey complex. The motte incorprates a natural sandstone outcrop standing 11m above the floodplain. It is 60m wide at the base and the flat top is 10m in diameter. Three irregularly shaped baileys are separated from the motte by a ditch. Cainhoe was the centre of the Barony of Cainhoe, held by the […]

Late 16th century country house, reduced from three to two storeys in the 19th century and subsequently modernised. Built of coursed limestone rubble with an old clay tile hipped roof. The house stands on the site of a 14th century fortified house or castle. The earthwork remains associated with the medieval site survive. Not open […]

The castle mound stands in public gardens. A motte and bailey castle erected c. 1100-1130; the castle sustained sieges in 1132, 1137, 1145 and 1153 prior to its demolition in 1224; this was thoroughly carried out and only a portion of the motte remains with a slight section of its surrounding ditch, together with a […]

The area of Ampthill Park (public park) has probably been parkland since the 15th century when Ampthill Castle was built on the crest of the Greensand Ridge. Ampthill Castle was built in the early 15th century by Lord Fanhope as a “residence meet for his royal spouse” Elizabeth, sister of Henry IV. It passed to […]