Barford St Michael

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Possible Masonry Castle

There are no visible remains

NameBarford St Michael
Alternative NamesBereford
Historic CountryOxfordshire
Modern AuthorityOxfordshire
1974 AuthorityOxfordshire
Civil ParishBarford St John And St Michael

Barford St. Michael, 2 miles from Deddington, had formerly a small castle which stood close to the church. (Mackenzie)

Tradition recorded in 1823 that there was a castle in Barford, and related report of discovery of foundations of 'massive walls' in the churchyard; remains unsubstantiated (VCH).

3 evaluation trenches were excavated by OAU prior to extension of churchyard. Site is north of C12th parish church which stands on man-made mound. Massive walls were found which may be related to the tradition of castle here. Evaluation revealed vestigial ridge and furrow and substantial wall footing (0.9m wide, only 1 course high) running N-S; unglazed medieval pottery and ploughsoil also found (Med. Arch.). (Oxfordshire HER)

Three evaluation trenches were excavated by M. Roberts of the Oxford Archaeological Unit on behalf of Barford St Michael and St John Parish Council in respect of an application for planning permission to extend the churchyard. The site was N. of the 12th-century parish church which stands on a man·made mound. 'Massive walls' were found in the churchyard in 1823 which may be related to the tradition of a castle at Harford St Michael.

The site lies on the W. side of the ridge on which Harford St Michael is built. Most of the site is flat but the slope increases to the N. and W. There was vestigial, but visible, ridge-and-furrow on the site. Trenching revealed a substantial wall footing (0.9 m wide but only one course high) running N.-S., with unglazed medieval pottery, and overlain by ploughsoils which arc probably from the medieval ridge-and-furrow cultivation. (Med. Arch.)

Gatehouse Comments

Said to be castle here. It has been suggested that the unusual church tower started out as a C11 watch tower and the church is built on the site of a small Norman Castle. The church is built on a mound. Did the mound upon which the church stands start out as a motte? Or is the church built on a old barrow with an adjacent manor house? The suggestion the church tower was a 'watch tower' is probably fanciful but the possibility of an early stone castle here should not be dismissed (c.f. Radcot). The large moat of a successor manor house is just west of the castle site a may represent a much remodelled bailey enclosure. Gatehouse thanks Colin Cohen for information about Barford Castle.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSP432326
Latitude51.9908714294434
Longitude-1.37141001224518
Eastings443270
Northings232600
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. 79 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 388 (possible)
  • Crossley, Alan (ed), 1983, VCH Oxfordshire Vol. 11 p. 54 online transcription
  • Pevsner, N. and Sherwood, J., 1974, Buildings of England: Oxfordshire (London) p. 445-6
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 1 p. 166 online copy

Journals

  • 1994, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1993' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 38 p. 240 online copy