Moor End Castle, Yardley Godion

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Moreende

In the civil parish of Yardley Gobion. In the historic county of Northamptonshire (Modern Authority of Northamptonshire, 1974 county of Northamptonshire).

Earthwork remains of a Medieval moat and fishponds. The are no structural remains of the castle, although remains were dug up in 1852. A licence to crenellate was issued in 1347 to Thomas Ferrers, and in 1363 Edward III obtained it. Between 1363 and 1369 much building was done. A royal chamber, a chapel, and other buildings and repair of several towers, the wall, the old chamber, and inner and outer gates, are recorded. It was in royal hands during C15, but its subsequent history is uncertain. The moated site survives as an island surrounded by a water-filled ditch between 17m and 25m wide on the south west, north west and north east and by a large pond 50m by 90m on the south east. A dry ditch 8m wide and up to 1m deep to the north east of the moat appears to be a former leat which carried water round the site, possibly to a mill at its south east end.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SP75444462

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 343110
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.

• Books
  • Riden, Philip and Insley, Charles (eds), 2002, 'Potterspury' VCH Northamptonshire Vol5 p289-345 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=22789
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern) p77
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p183
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p319
    RCHME, 1982, An inventory of the historical monuments in the County of Northampton. Vol4: South-west Northamptonshire (HMSO) p175
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p742-3
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p414
• Journal Articles
  • Pretty, E., 1852, Journal of the British Archaeological Association p111
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1345-48) p270
    Calendar of Close Rolls (1346-9) p222 [an order to deliver the charter without taking any fee]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p338-9