Arlesey Village Defence

Has been described as a Questionable Urban Defence

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameArlesey Village Defence
Alternative NamesEtonbury
Historic CountryBedfordshire
Modern AuthorityBedfordshire
1974 AuthorityBedfordshire
Civil ParishArlesey

According to King has embanked defences, a burgus enclosure of the castle of Etonbury

Gatehouse Comments

Presumably this is the same as "Etonbury - a defensive earthwork which has been interpreted as a possible Danish harbour or homestead moat" recorded in PastScape. Difficult to interpret and now damaged earthworks are probably manorial earthworks and may include some village defenses, although these may be flood defences and water management earthworks. The parish church is not within the earthworks and it seems unlikely that the whole village was enclosed, although the manor house and some other houses may have been.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTL192375
Latitude52.0277709960938
Longitude-0.263040006160736
Eastings519200
Northings237900
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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

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Books

  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 259
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 4,8
  • Dyer, J.F., 1972, 'Earthworks of the Danelaw Frontier' in Fowler, P.J. (ed), 1972, Archaeology and the landscape: essays for L V Grinsell p. 222-36
  • Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p. 57-8
  • See Etonbury Castle for bibliography.

Journals

  • Bond J., 2001, 'Earthen Castles, Outer Enclosures and the Earthworks at Ascott d'Oilly Castle, Oxfordshire' Oxoniensia Vol. 46 p. 67-8 (Appendix: Earthwork castles with attached village enclosures) online copy