Flitwick Mount Hills

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameFlitwick Mount Hills
Alternative Names
Historic CountryBedfordshire
Modern AuthorityBedfordshire
1974 AuthorityBedfordshire
Civil ParishFlitwick

Mount Hill is a small motte and bailey work of the figure-of-eight type. A circular moat averaging 30 feet wide and up to 6 feet deep encloses a mound 102 feet in diameter across the top and raised 4 or 5 feet above the general level. There are remains of a strong rampart on the outer scarp of the moat, and traces of a circular bailey to the east. The earthwork was formerly part of a pleasure garden and the mound was modified to take a summerhouse. (PastScape–ref. VCH and Wadmore) A ditch, now terminated by quarrying extends to the south-east, and presumably formed part of the south boundary of the eastern bailey. Nebulous disturbance east of the motte probably marks the site of the remainder of the bailey defences. (PastScape–ref. field investigators comments)

Gatehouse Comments

The modern town has moved its focus to the railway station but this was clearly the manorial centre and church is close by.

- 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 ReferenceTL027342
Latitude51.9975204467773
Longitude-0.504899978637695
Eastings502720
Northings234280
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
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Books

  • Petre, James Scott, 2012, The Castles of Bedfordshire (Lavenham: Lavenham Press for Shaun Tyas) p. 64
  • Lowerre, A.G., 2005, Placing Castles in the Conquest. Landscape, Lordship and Local Politics in the South-Eastern Midlands, 1066-1100 (Oxford: John and Erica Hedges Ltd: BAR British Series 385) p. 219
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 14
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 5
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1968, Bedfordshire and the County of Huntingdon and Peterborough p. 93
  • Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p. 105-7
  • Goddard, A.R., 1904, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Doubleday, H.Arthur and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Bedfordshire Vol. 1 p. 286

Journals

  • Simco, A. and Coleman, S., 1990, 'Mount Hill, Flitwick' South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 20 p. 7 online copy
  • Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol. 9-10 p. 35-54 (plan)
  • Dyer, J.F., 1962-3, 'Bedfordshire Earthworks VIII, The Castles: Part One' Bedfordshire magazine Vol. 8 no. 63 p. 270

Other

  • Lowerre, A.G., 2004, Placing Castles in the Conquest. Landscape, Lordship and Local Politics in the South-Eastern Midlands, 1066-1100 (PhD thesis: Boston College) p. 450-51