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Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Amphill; Ampthil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)
The site comprises the remains of a 15th century palace, known as Ampthill Castle, which is situated in Ampthill Park, at the top of the north-facing scarp of the Greensand Ridge. The approximate site of the palace is marked by Katherine's Cross, erected in the 1770s to commemorate Katherine of Aragon who lived for a time at the palace. Although there are no upstanding walls, there exists a detailed survey of the palace precinct drawn up in 1567 which enables the plan and extent of the ruins to be ascertained. The main precinct comprised four wings ranged about a rectangular inner court, with a gatehouse on the east wing and kitchens and a great hall on the north. Other chambers were the state rooms and private quarters. The external dimensions of this precinct were about 65m east-west by 55m north-south. Outside the north wing was a smaller court, measuring 60m east-west by 20m north-south, which contained a well-house. To the east and south the palace was surrounded by an outer, or "Base", Court which had a range of buildings at the perimeter which contained stables, workshops and other rooms which housed the ancillary functions of the palace. The outer range of buildings lay about 45m to the east of the east wing of the inner court and, although the full extent of the outer court is not shown, it must have extended for a similar distance to the south. Using the known plan as a guide, the remains of the palace can be traced on the ground. At the crest of the ridge is a rectangular platform, about 0.5m to 1m above the normal ground surface and measuring 70m east-west by 60m north-south, which is the site of the Inner Court. Katherine's Cross is located on this platform. Between the north edge of the platform and the edge of the steeply-sloping natural scarp is a terrace about 15m wide which accommodated the well-house court. The eastern edge of the Base Court ran about 50m to the west of the platform, diagonally across the present Rugby field, and its southern side is considered to lie at the break of slope of the scarp above the car park fence. The route of an original access into the Base Court from Woburn Road is marked by a gully leading up this scarp. This scarp and the steep slope to the west of the palace are likely to have been terraced, both in order to consolidate them and for aesthetic reasons. The palace was built in the early 1400s by Sir John Cornwall, later Lord Fanhope. He married Elizabeth, sister of Henry IV, and wanted a residence "Meet for his Royal spouse". The palace came into the hands of Henry VIII in 1524 and Katherine of Aragon lived there during the divorce proceedings of 1533. The buildings had already fallen into decay by 1555 and at the time of the 1567 survey its partial demolition was planned. Final demolition took place before 1649. (Beds HER)

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
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 360027
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 810 '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://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