Saunderton St Mary Manor, Bledlow Cum Saunderton

In the civil parish of Bledlow Cum Saunderton. In the historic county of Buckinghamshire (Modern Authority of Buckinghamshire, 1974 county of Buckinghamshire).

The buried and visible remains of a medieval moated site which lies 100m to the south east of the parish church of St Mary and St Nicholas. It is roughly rectangular in plan. The island measures some 90m north west-south east by 60m transversely, and its surface is raised slightly above the level of its immediate surroundings. The north western and south eastern moat arms measure between 15-20m across and remain open to a depth of around 1.5m. The central section of the south western arm has been largely infilled. The north eastern arm incorporates the natural stream course which flows from a springhead some 200m to the south east. Minor excavation on the island between 1951 and 1953 revealed the corner foundations of a building. A number of medieval artefacts were found in association with the foundations, including C12/C13 pottery sherd and the strap handle from C14 ceramic jug. Roman artefacts, including fragments of tile, plaster and high quality Samian pottery were also found, presumably relating to the Roman villa which is located a short distance away (see SP 70 SE 6). Examining the site in 1908, the antiquarian A Hadrian Allcroft thought he could detect traces of a circular mound which he interpreted as evidence for a motte and bailey castle at Saunderton. The mound can no longer be seen due to the dumping of dredged material in the 1940s, and Allcroft's interpretation of the earthwork cannot be supported by the evidence, the mound probably being natural. The moated site is thought to represent the site of the manor of Saunderton St Mary, which was held by the de Saunderton family from the mid C12 to the mid C15. (PastScape)
Allcroft was an experience earthworks surveyor and the mound being natural does not exclude adaptation and use as a motte, particularly as this is a manorial centre. However lack of evidence does make it impossible to certain as to what was here in medieval times.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SP796018

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 342627
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 0036703000 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://ubp.buckscc.gov.uk/ThemeDetails.aspx?UID=MBC1230
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p37
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p28
    Page, Wm (ed), 1925, VCH Buckinghamshire Vol3 p93 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42535
    RCHME, 1912, An inventory of the historical monuments in Buckinghamshire Vol1 [south] p276 http://www.archive.org/details/inventoryofhisto01greauoft
    Allcroft, A. Hadrian, 1908, Earthwork of England (London) p476-7 http://www.archive.org/details/earthworkofengla00allc