Long Crendon Motte

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte Ringwork)

There are no visible remains

NameLong Crendon Motte
Alternative Names
Historic CountryBuckinghamshire
Modern AuthorityBuckinghamshire
1974 AuthorityBuckinghamshire
Civil ParishLong Crendon

Possible motte or ringwork is situated south east of the church surrounded by a ditch except on the north west side. The site is traditionally that of a castle of the Giffards. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Parker's article writes there is a high mound but this was not obvious enough to be mapped by the Ordnance Survey, The VCH earthwork survey or the RCHME survey. However the location is by the church and a house called the Courthouse and is clearly a manorial centre (another manorial centre possibly existed at The Square) with an adjacent deer park, mentioned in Domesday, and Notley Abbey beyond that. Despite the paucity of remains it is difficult to believe this important manor did not have a high status dwelling in the C11 and C12 and that this dwelling must have some fortification. The tenurial history suggests the site was of much less importance after the C12, despite the value a deer park must have given the site. It seems highly likely there was an earthwork castle here of some form but not used after the C12 and fairly rapidly destroyed.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSP699089
Latitude51.7755584716797
Longitude-0.988420009613037
Eastings469900
Northings208900
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

  • Donald, J., 1971, Long Crendon, A short history Part 1 p. 3
  • Page, Wm (ed), 1927, VCH Buckinghamshire Vol. 4 p. 38 online transcription
  • Lipscomb, G., 1847, History and Antiquities of Buckinghamshire Vol. 1

Journals

  • Parker, J., 1892-7, 'The Giffards' Records of Buckinghamshire Vol. 7 p. 504

Other

  • English Heritage, 2009, Long Crendon Historic Town Assessment Report online copy