Desborough Castle, High Wycombe

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; West Wycombe

In the civil parish of High Wycombe. In the historic county of Buckinghamshire (Modern Authority of Buckinghamshire, 1974 county of Buckinghamshire).

Norman ringwork, partly overlying a mound, possibly a barrow reused as a Saxon moot. Both lie within an enclosure, possibly a slight univallate hillfort of the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. The defences of the ringwork enclose an area of roughly 0.5 hectares and consist of a single rampart and ditch with a break in the middle of the south east side. Finds indicate the existence of a substantial building within the enclosure during the medieval period. West of the ringwork lie the remains of a probably once circular mound, cut through by the ringwork ditch and thought to represent the remains of a bowl barrow. (PastScape)
The rampart, of the IA fort, on the south is 16ft high and 63ft wide and the ditch is 12ft deep and 57ft wide. Desborough Castle for all its strength exhibits the classic characteristics of an Iron Age settlement. It is set into a slope, its entrance is at the change of slope and the rampart of 'hood' fades away on the downhill side until it is non-existent. So skilfully is this done that from the outside the inner slope of the ditch presents a remarkably uniform face. The earthwork thus created is a large platform protected on its upper side by a strong rampart and open on its downhill side where it overlooks and dominates to Wye Valley. (PastScape)
Suggested as siege castle of Anarchy date but if overlying Saxon site than possibly C11. Probably the castle of West Wycombe mention c. 1210 in the Winchester Pipe Roll. The excavation in the 1980's suggested abandonment in the early C12.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU84719332

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 248824
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 0001800000 '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=MBC55
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p35
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p28
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    RCHME, 1912, An inventory of the historical monuments in Buckinghamshire Vol1 [south] p318 http://www.archive.org/details/inventoryofhisto01greauoft
    Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Buckinghamshire Vol2 p24 http://www.archive.org/details/victoriahistory02pageuoft
    Allcroft, A. Hadrian, 1908, Earthwork of England (London) p442-3 http://www.archive.org/details/earthworkofengla00allc
    Langley, T., 1797, History and Antiquities of the Hundred of Desborough p2-8 http://books.google.com/books?id=qkUQAAAAYAAJ
• Journal Articles
  • Collard, M., 1988, 'Excavations at Desborough Castle, High Wycombe, 1987' Records of Buckinghamshire Vol18 p15-52
    Collard, M., 1988, ‘Desborough Castle, High Wycombe' South Midlands Archaeology Vol18 p28-9
    1987, South Midlands Archaeology Vol17 p34
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Downs, R.S., 1878-86, ‘Desborough Castle' Records of Buckinghamshire Vol5 p248-60