Ridgmont; The Round House

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Ringwork)

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameRidgmont; The Round House
Alternative NamesRugemont Castle; Rugemunt; Brogborough Park Farm; Brogboro; Segenhoe
Historic CountryBedfordshire
Modern AuthorityBedfordshire
1974 AuthorityBedfordshire
Civil ParishRidgmont

The much mutilated earthwork remains of an early medieval ringwork are interpreted as the site of Rugemont Castle. Much of the site has been destroyed by the construction of the Round House in C19 (PastScape)

To the east of Brogborough Park Farm well-defined earthworks consisting of mound, fosse and outworks mark the site of RUGEMONT CASTLE. This castle was the stronghold of the de Greys and their predecessors the Wahulls in this parish, but no mention of it has been found before C12. In 1276 Walter Beywin is described as holding 7 selions 'above the castle of Rugemont.' Extents of Brogborough Manor, to which it appears to have been attached, contain no mention of it, though it may have been the 'capital messuage' found in earlier accounts of the manor. Cromwell is said to have slept at Brogborough during the Civil War and to have made use of the entrenchments to repulse an attack of the Royalist troops." (VCH Vol. 3)

Gatehouse Comments

Identified with Segenhoe mentioned in late C12. Has been very damaged and has been dismissed as a quarry but is scheduled as a ringwork. An alternative site for the recorded Rugemunt Castle is Castle Hill but this has been dismissed as it was on common land. Although now a seemingly isolated site it may have been the focus for the now lost manor of Brogborough (a place-name that may be suggestive of an pre-Conquest fortified site)

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSP970384
Latitude52.0360984802246
Longitude-0.587289988994598
Eastings497030
Northings238460
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

Calculate Print

Books

  • Lowerre, A.G., 2007, 'A GIS Analysis of the Location of Late-Eleventh-Century Castles in the Southeastern Midlands of England' in' Clark, J.T. and E.M. Hagemeister (eds.) Digital Discovery. Exploring New Frontiers in Human Heritage (Archaeolingua) p. 239-252 online copy
  • Lowerre, A.G., 2005, Placing Castles in the Conquest. Landscape, Lordship and Local Politics in the South-Eastern Midlands, 1066-1100 (Oxford: John and Erica Hedges Ltd: BAR British Series 385) p. 222-3
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 15
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 6
  • Godber, J., 1969, History of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p. 23
  • Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p. 121-3
  • Page, Wm (ed), 1912, VCH Bedfordshire Vol. 3 p. 321 online transcription
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Goddard, A.R., 1904, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Doubleday, H.Arthur and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Bedfordshire Vol. 1 p. 306
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol. 1 p. 142 online copy
  • Clark, G.T., 1884, Mediaeval Military Architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol. 1 p. 145 online copy

Journals

  • Cotchin, R., 1989, 'Where was Rugemont castle?' Bedfordsgire Magazine Vol. 22 no. 169 p. 1-5
  • Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol. 9-10 p. 35-54 (plan)
  • Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 199 online copy

Primary Sources

  • Luard, H.R (ed), 1866, 'Annales Prioratus de Dunstaplia' in Annales Monastici (London: Longman Rolls Series 36) Vol. 3 p. 269 (mention in 1276) online copy

Other

  • English Heritage, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 16 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 15 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 32 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 31 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 29 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 39 online copy
  • Lowerre, A.G., 2004, Placing Castles in the Conquest. Landscape, Lordship and Local Politics in the South-Eastern Midlands, 1066-1100 (PhD thesis: Boston College) p. 464-8