Swavesey Castle Hill

In the civil parish of Swavesey. In the historic county of Cambridgeshire (Modern Authority of Cambridgeshire, 1974 county of Cambridgeshire).

King writes "vestiges of large enclosure" which suggests the town rampart (qv), but adds, in aggenda, "a high mound may be a fragment of motte". Taylor writes castle was mound, now much robbed in one corner of town and gives plan. Recorded as probable medieval enclosure in PastScape. An unusual and much damaged site which seems to be interpreted in a different way by each individual who looks at it.
Probably built by de la Zouch family in C13 as emergency against Barons in Isle of Ely who had burnt their corn etc. The area enclosed was bigger than ever needed for development in Medieval times (Ravensdale 1982-3)
No mention of Swavesey castle has been found before 1476, when William Copley held Castle croft of the rectory manor for boonworks and suit of court, services characteristic of tenures on that manor in 1279. It is therefore unlikely that the castle was built by the Zouches in the 13th century. It was not mentioned among the priory's original endowments and was more probably one of its acquisitions c. 1200. It was presumably derelict by c. 1200 when the croft, later known as Castle close, an enclosure c. 114 m. (375 ft.) square, was incorporated into the town defences. It may date, like Burwell castle, from the 1140s or may have been built during the campaign against Ely in 1070-1. (VCH 1989)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL359689

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 369073
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 01772 '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.

• Books
  • Wright, A.P.M. and Lewis, C.P. (eds), 1989, VCH Cambridge and the Isle of Ely Vol9 p381-6 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=15503#p26
    Taylor, Alison, 1986, Castles of Cambridgeshire (Cambridge)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p40, lxv
    Phillips, 1948, in Salzman, L.F. (ed), VCH Cambridge and the Isle of Ely Vol2 p41-2, 315-9
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
• Journal Articles
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' The Archaeological Journal Vol143 p310
    Haigh, D.. 1984, 'Excavation of the Town Ditch at Swavesey, 1984' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol73 p45-53
    Ravensdale, J.R., 1982-3 ‘Swavesey, Cambridgeshire: a fortified medieval planned market town' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol72 p55-8
    Clark, G.T., 1881, 'The castles of England and Wales at the Latter part of the Twelfth Century' The Archaeological Journal Vol38 p258-76, 336-35 esp268 http://www.archive.org/stream/archaeologicaljo38brit#page/268/mode/1up