Ellington Thorpe Lodge

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Other/Unknown)

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameEllington Thorpe Lodge
Alternative NamesSibthorpe
Historic CountryHuntingdonshire
Modern AuthorityCambridgeshire
1974 AuthorityCambridgeshire
Civil ParishEllington

Thorpe Lodge moat encloses an area of 180 x 130 feet with rounded corners. On the W and S are bold outer banks with crests c 35ft from the side of the moat. From the S side of the outer bank, a dyke runs 50ft to the S, then turns E and empties into the dyke by the hedge. About 140ft from the NE corner of the moat, but separated from it by a hedge and large dyke is a subsidiary enclosure of unusual shape being 250ft x 35ft.From the SW corner of this moat a dyke runs S for 400 feet (with bank on the W side) and then turns W and empties into a dyke by the hedge. (Camb HER report abstracted from VCH 1926)

The moated enclosure was excavated in 1965 prior to destruction by the farmer, revealing the complete plan of a aisled timber building with a plain tile roof. The building was built in the mid C12 and destroyed or demolished during the 2nd half of C13. The structure was then sealed by a moated platform, occupation of which ceased in C15. Numerous finds were made of pottery, iron, bronze and bones. (Tebbutt et al 1971)

Gatehouse Comments

Medieval moated manor house, excavations have located remains of building within interior. Earthworks of a fishpond complex also located. Roman occupation found. Since this site was excavated in 1965 Renn's identification as a castle may be doubtful.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTL155703
Latitude52.3194999694824
Longitude-0.305869996547699
Eastings515570
Northings270390
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

  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker)
  • Page, Wm , Proby, Granville and Ladds, S. Inskip (eds), 1936, VCH Huntingdonshire Vol. 3 p. 44
  • Inskip Ladds, S., 1926, in Page, Wm and Proby, Granville (eds), VCH Huntingdonshire Vol. 1 p. 297 view unattributed online copy
  • RCHME, 1926, An inventory of the historical monuments in Huntingdonshire p. 76 no. 3 online transcription

Journals

  • Tebbutt, C.F., Rudd, G.T. and Moorhouse, S., 1971, 'Excavation of a Moated Site at Ellington, Huntingdonshire' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol. 63 p. 31-73 online copy
  • Tebbutt, C.F. and Rudd, G.T., 1966, 'Medieval Britain in 1965: II Post-conquest' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 10 p. 202 download copy