Bagworth Moats

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameBagworth Moats
Alternative NamesBaggeworth; Thorneton
Historic CountryLeicestershire
Modern AuthorityLeicestershire
1974 AuthorityLeicestershire
Civil ParishBagworth and Thornton

Moat and fishponds at Bagworth. The moated site measures 250m x 170m overall enclosing a rectangular island 110m x 80m. The south, east and west ditches are on average 20m wide and 3-4m deep and are largely dry. The northern arm widens to 70m at the north-east corner of the island. There are causeways in the north-west corner and the south; the latter considered to be the original entrance. The dry, rectangular fishpond to the west (SK 4534 0862) is 55m long and 45m wide maximum with an extension channel 25m long on the north-west side and a triangular island. The fishpond to the south-east (SK 4566 0828) is dry and irregularly shaped, being 75m x 100m maximum and was fed by a stream from the north which forms the southern boundary; the stream bed here is included in the scheduling. The western side of the fishpond is bounded by a bank 3m high which is broken in several places. Documentary records for the site begin in 1279 when Anthony le Bek held a park in Bagworth with two fishponds. (PastScape–scheduling report)

In the 1980s earthworks of a moated site were surveyed. The house is mentioned in documents dating from the C14th and C15th, owned by Robert de Holand and William Hastings. When the moat was drained a large quantity of deer antlers was found. (Leicestershire and Rutland HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Fortified manor house built 1318, on licence issued to Robert Holand rebuilt C15 and early C17 replaced by present house in 1769. William, Lord Hastings obtained a licence to crenellate in 1474. The 1474 licence has been interpreted as referring to two sites (Bagworth and Thornton) and these were two separate, but adjoining, manors. The actual site of the manor house is roughly midway between these two villages and the manors may well have been administered from only this site and the licence meant only this one place. The find of antler suggest the true nature and function of this house.

- 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 ReferenceSK454086
Latitude52.6732902526855
Longitude-1.32894003391266
Eastings445450
Northings308660
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Knox, Richard, 2015, 'The medieval fortified sites of Leicestershire and Rutland' in Medieval Leicestershire: Recent research on the Medieval Archaeology of Leicester (Liecestershire Fieldworks 3) p. 123-42
  • Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 10, 375, 378
  • Hartley, Robert F., 2008, The Medieval Earthworks of South-West Leicestershire Hinckley and Bosworth (Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Monograph 2) p. 3, 6 (plan)
  • Cantor, Leonard, 2003, The Scheduled Ancient Monument of Leicestershire and Rutland (Leicester: Kairos Press) p. 63
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 33
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 218, 327
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 256 (possible)
  • Hoskins, W.G., 1950, The Heritage of Leicestershire p. 58
  • Wall, C., 1907, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm, (ed), VCH Leicestershire Vol. 1 p. 271 online copy
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 408 online copy
  • Nichols, J., 1811, The History and Antiquities of the County of Leicestershire Vol. 4 p. 989

Antiquarian

  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England  (Sutton Publishing) p. 281
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1907, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 1 p. 20 online copy

Journals

  • Speight, Sarah, 2008, ''Castles as Past Culture: Living with Castles in the Post-Medieval World' Cha^teau Gaillard Vol. 23 p. 385-94
  • Cantor, Leonard, 1977-8, 'The Medieval Castles of Leicestershire' Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 53 p. 34-5 online copy
  • Williams, D., 1974-75, 'Fortified manor houses' Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 50 p. 1-16 esp 7-8 online copy
  • Herbert, A., 1931-3, 'Ashby Castle' Transactions of the Leicestershire Architectural and Archaeological Society Vol. 17 p. 200 (slight mention) online copy

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward II (1317-21) Vol. 3 p. 189 online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1927, Calendar of Charter Rolls 5 Henry VI - 8 Henry VIII, AD 1427-1516, with an appendix, 1215-1288 Vol. 6. (HMSO) p. 243 online copy

Other

  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 380-1 online copy