Cainhoe Castle, Clophill

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameCainhoe Castle, Clophill
Alternative Names
Historic CountryBedfordshire
Modern AuthorityBedfordshire
1974 AuthorityBedfordshire
Civil ParishClophill

Motte and bailey complex. The motte incorporates a natural sandstone outcrop standing 11m above the floodplain. It is 60m wide at the base and the flat top is 10m in diameter. Three irregularly shaped baileys are separated from the motte by a ditch. Cainhoe was the centre of the Barony of Cainhoe, held by the d'Aubigny family from the Conquest until the mid C13. No castle is mentioned in 1272 when the male line had been extinguished and the estate divided. By 1374, the fortifications were ruinous. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Excavated in 1973 and 1985-6.

- 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 ReferenceTL098374
Latitude52.0244293212891
Longitude-0.401149988174438
Eastings509800
Northings237400
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Copyright Nick Hawkes All rights reservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Nick Hawkes All rights reservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Nick Hawkes All rights reservedView full Sized Image
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Books

  • Petre, James Scott, 2012, The Castles of Bedfordshire (Lavenham: Lavenham Press for Shaun Tyas) p. 56-62 (plan)
  • Lowerre, A.G., 2008, 'Why here and not there? The Location of Early Norman Castles in the South-East East Midlands' in C.P. Lewis (ed), Anglo-Norman Studies 29. Proceedings of the Battle Conference 2006 (Woddbridge) p. 126
  • Lowerre, A.G., 2007, 'A GIS Analysis of the Location of Late-Eleventh-Century Castles in the Southeastern Midlands of England' in' Clark, J.T. and E.M. Hagemeister (eds.) Digital Discovery. Exploring New Frontiers in Human Heritage (Archaeolingua) p. 239-252 online copy
  • Edgeworth, M., 2007, 'The Medieval Period' in M. Oake et al, Bedfordshire Archaeology. Research and Archaeology: Resource Assessment, Research Agenda and Strategy (Bedfordshire Archaeology Monograph 9) p. 99
  • 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. 127-8
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 13
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 3
  • David Jordan, David Haddon-Reece, and Alex Bayliss (eds), 1994, Radiocardon Dates from samples funded by English Heritage and dated before 1981 (London: English Heritage) p. 38 online copy
  • Brown, R.Allen, 1989, Castles from the Air (Cambridge University Press) p. 69-70
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 5
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 198
  • Bigmore, P., 1979, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Landscape (London: Hodder and Stoughton, The Making of the English Landscape Series) p. 99
  • Godber, J., 1969, History of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p. 23
  • Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p. 95-7
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Bedfordshire Vol. 2 p. 324 online transcription
  • Goddard, A.R., 1904, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Doubleday, H.Arthur and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Bedfordshire Vol. 1 p. 291-2
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol. 1 p. 139 online copy

Journals

  • 1987, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 17 p. 27 online copy
  • Baker, David, 1983, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 13 p. 3 online copy
  • 1982, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 12 p. 17 online copy
  • Baker, D., 1982, 'Cainhoe Castle' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 139 p. 32-4
  • Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol. 9-10 p. 35-54 (plan)
  • 1978, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 8 p. 36 online copy
  • 1977, 'Harwell Radiocarbon Measurements II' Radiocarbon Vol. 19 p. 417 online copy
  • 1977, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 7 p. 40 online copy
  • Taylor, A.J. and Woodward, P., 1975, 'Cainhoe Castle excavations 1973' Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 10 p. 41-52 online copy (large file)
  • Taylor, A. and Woodward, P., 1974, 'Cainhoe Castle, Clophill, Bedfordshire' South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 4 p. 14 online copy
  • Dyer, J.F., 1962-3, 'Bedfordshire Earthworks VIII, The Castles: Part One' Bedfordshire magazine Vol. 8 no. 63 p. 270-1
  • Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 199 online copy

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. 444-46