Great Munden

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte)

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameGreat Munden
Alternative NamesRoughground Wood; Levens Green
Historic CountryHertfordshire
Modern AuthorityHertfordshire
1974 AuthorityHertfordshire
Civil ParishGreat Munden

GREAT MUNDEN (Roughground Wood) TL 356213. Tiny moated mound SW. of square enclosure of bank and ditch. (Renn)

A clearly defined small fortified camp is situated on the NE edge of Roughground Wood (area TL 359121). On the NE side a brook has been enlarged to form a wet moat about 360 ft long and 86 ft wide. From the upper end of this moat runs a ditch about 30 ft broad at right angles into wood. It turns left parallel to the moat, some 25 ft wide, until it nearly reaches a narrow, steeply sloping ditch which forms the fourth side of the enclosure. The enclosed area measures about 300 ft long and 176 ft wide.

Andrews suggests a Roman date for the camp, and states that brick fragments and a horseshoe of possibly Roman date have been found within the enclosure.

Described as a moated mound (TEHAS 1928-9).

Early Iron Age and later pottery has been found both here and in a neighbouring field (CAS 1926). (Andrews; TEHAS 1928-9; CAS 1926)

Similar description to Andrews. The mound marks the site of a 15th century sunk-post windmill, nothing of which is to be seen above ground (Pevsner). (PastScape)

Tiny moated mound immediately SW of a square banked & ditched enclosure (Andrews). It marks the site of a 15C post-mill. Waterfilled, trees on mound (Cave-Penny, Helena (HCC) site report. Site visit 17.1.86). Site appeared unaltered in 1987; nothing to add to description (MWT (HCC) site visit. 16.3.1987). The mill mound may be shown on Seller's Map of 1676, but it may instead show the nearby mill at Fellowsfield Common. (Hertfordshire HER)

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTL356213
Latitude51.8728218078613
Longitude-0.0273499991744757
Eastings535600
Northings221300
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

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 49 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 221
  • Renn, D.F., 1971, Medieval Castles in Hertfordshire (Chichester: Phillimore) p. 20 (doubtful)
  • Pevsner, N., 1953, Buildings of England: Hertfordshire p. 184

Journals

  • Moore, Cyril, 1985, 'Hertfordshire windmills' Hertfordshire's Past Vol. 19 p. 2-17
  • 1928-9, Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Vol. 8.1 p. 138
  • 1926, Congress of Archaeological Societies 34th Report p. 19
  • Andrew, H.C., 1924-5, 'An unknown earthwork at Old Hall Green' Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society 7.2 p. 105-8