Ampthill Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Amphill; Ampthil

In the civil parish of Ampthill. In the historic county of Bedfordshire (Modern Authority of Bedfordshire, 1974 county of Bedfordshire).

Site of castle in the grounds of Ampthill Park constructed during the early C15 by Sir John Cornwall and later became a royal property used by Henry VIII who placed it at the disposal of Catherine of Aragon during the divorce proceedings. It had fallen into decay by the end of C16. Its site is marked by a cross which was erected in 1773. The cross stands on an octagonal base of three steps and is decorated with the royal arms and the arms of Castille and Aragon. (PastScape)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL02493839

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

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 360027
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular '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, or elsewhere.

• Web site links
  • http://www.ampthill.org.uk/history.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p12
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p205
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p4 [slight]
    Thurley, Simon, 1993, The Royal Palaces of Tudor England (Yale University Press) p49, 68, 72, 79, 83, 224
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p7
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works, vol4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p42-7
    Page, Wm (ed), 1912, VCH Bedford Vol3 p270 [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42429]
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol1 p134
• Journal Articles
  • 1990, South Midlands Archaeology Vol20 p15
    1988, South Midlands Archaeology Vol18 p7
    1987, South Midlands Archaeology Vol17 p28
    Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p35-54
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/buckseng.html#beds6]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p22, 24
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol1 p102-3 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl01lelauoft