Wychemere manor

Has been described as a Certain Palace (Royal)

There are earthwork remains

NameWychemere manor
Alternative NamesBear's Rails
Historic CountryBerkshire
Modern AuthorityWindsor & Maidenhead
1974 AuthorityBerkshire
Civil ParishOld Windsor

Moated Medieval site in Windsor Great Park comprising a waterfilled inner moat surrounded by a shallow dry ditch. Excavations have located a house which has been identified as the Royal manor of Wychemere, which was documented in 1359-1395. The moats are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. The inner moat encloses an area measuring 90m by 85m and the outer moat encloses an area measuring 140m by 120m. The excavations in 1919-20 were carried out by Captain A. Vaughan Williams in the belief that it was the palace of Edward the Confessor. (PastScape)

The manor of Wychmere was acquired by Edward III in 1359 and added to the park of Windsor castle, and nearly £400 was spent on enclosing the new park of Windsor called Wychmere. The manor house became a member of the ring of residences and lodges surrounding the castle. In 1364 a hall, chamber, wardrobe, gatehouse, and granary were documented there, and a lttle later, a barn and chapel from the manor of New Windsor were transported there. In 1395, Richard II ordered its demolition, the materials being used to repair the Windsor manor house. (PastScape–ref. HKW)

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 ReferenceSU973738
Latitude51.4552917480469
Longitude-0.600139975547791
Eastings497340
Northings173850
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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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

  • Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 1020-21
  • Harwood, T.E., 1929, Windsor Old and New (London; Printed for the author) p. 170-1, 293-5

Journals

  • 1920-1, Berkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 26 p. 11, 13 (note) online copy
  • 1920, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. 26 p. 208-9 (note)
  • 1919, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. 25 p. 275-7 (note)
  • 1918, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. 24 p. 267-8 (note)

Other

  • Kupferman, E., 1986, The Moated Sites of East Berkshire p. 119-20