Aston Mullins

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameAston Mullins
Alternative NamesAston Bernard
Historic CountryBuckinghamshire
Modern AuthorityBuckinghamshire
1974 AuthorityBuckinghamshire
Civil ParishDinton With Ford And Upton

John Moleyns is said to have been granted a licence to crenellate Aston Mullins, Bucks in 1336. However Gatehouse can not find this in the rolls. Aston Mullins is a DMV, with at least one building platform still extant.

A sub-circular, waterfilled, homestead moat, centred at SP 7630 0875, has an average overall diameter of 120.0m, the moat arms being 8.0 to 10.0m in width. To the S the moat is set into the slight hill slope upon which it is situated, whilst around the N side is a broad retaining bank, 12.0m wide, 1.5m in height. Water was fed in from the E side via a short right-angled projection off the main moat and escaped to the river from the NW side. The interior is under permanent pasture and no trace of building is to be seen. 100.0m to the W, at SP 7612 0875 is a small moated rectangular enclosure, 45.0m by 30.0m. The NE and SE arms are waterfilled and are separated by remains of an original (? formerly causewayed) entrance. The NW and SW arms are indicated by marshy depressions. Water was fed from the stream at the N corner. There is a small retaining bank against the NE arm of the moat. The feature may have been an unusual form of fishponds. (PastScape ref. F1 ASP 21-FEB-72)

The final conveyance took place in 1315, and Sir John held it until his death before 1328–9. His widow Gille married Sir John de Molyns, and the latter acquired the manor of Aston Mullins from John the son and heir of Sir John Blacket. De Molyns obtained further security in this manor by releases of their respective rights from John Fitz Bernard and Giles and Isabel Blacket. Various letters patent and charters from the king were also obtained, one amongst them granting leave to Sir John de Molyns and his wife to embattle the house at Aston Mullins. (VCH)

Gatehouse Comments

The moat is almost circular usually considered suggestive on an early date rather than C14 when a square moat would be expected. This does not mean this is not the site of this possibly licenced house since licence were issued to individuals who intended to refurbish older houses and the VCH makes it clear this was the site of an earlier manor 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 ReferenceSP761087
Latitude51.7721405029297
Longitude-0.895659983158112
Eastings476120
Northings208750
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

  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 211
  • RCHME, 1912, An inventory of the historical monuments in Buckinghamshire Vol. 1 (south) p. 125 online copy
  • Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Buckinghamshire Vol. 2 p. 274-6 online transcription

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1912, Calendar of Charter Rolls Edward III 1327-1341 Vol. 4. (HMSO) p. 353-4 online copy