Wolverton

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameWolverton
Alternative NamesOld Wolverton Church; Wulverington
Historic CountryBuckinghamshire
Modern AuthorityMilton Keynes
1974 AuthorityBuckinghamshire
Civil ParishMilton Keynes

A deserted village and motte and bailey surviving as extensive and well preserved earthworks in which features such as house platforms and roads can be identified. North of the village is a Norman motte and bailey castle. The motte is 4.9 metres high and measures 50 metres east to west by 25 metres north to south. The northern part of the site is biscected by the Grand Union Canal. These remains are Scheduled. In 2001 Dr. Welsh of University College Northampton briefly examined the site and identified a possible larger, earlier earthwork enclosure, which he suggests may be Iron Age, within which the motte and bailey was apparently set. He also noted a late medieval or post medieval house platform overlying the bailey ditch. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

The parish church, next to the castle, survives with its Saxon tower. The Norman castle is most probably on the site of the original Saxon manorial centre.

- 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 ReferenceSP804414
Latitude52.064281463623
Longitude-0.829069972038269
Eastings480400
Northings241400
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 37
  • Croft, R.A. and Maynard, D.C., 1993, The Changing Landscape of Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society Monograph 5)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 28
  • Chibnall, A.C., 1965, Sherington Fiefs and Fields of a Buckinghamshire Village p. 23-4
  • Page, Wm (ed), 1927, VCH Buckinghamshire Vol. 4 p. 505 online transcription
  • RCHME, 1913, An inventory of the historical monuments in Buckinghamshire Vol. 2 (north) p. 16, 345 online copy
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Ratcliff, O., 1900, History and Antiquities of the Newport Hundreds p. 279
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 1 p. 148 online copy
  • Sheahan, J., 1862, History and Topography of Buckinghamshire (London) p. 644-5 (tenurial history) online copy

Antiquarian

Journals

  • 1983, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 13 p. 55 online copy
  • 1980, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol. 10 p. 79 online copy
  • 1967, Wolverton and District Archaeological Society newsletter Vol. 11 p. 21