Bedford Castle

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

A motte and bailey castle erected c. 1100-1130; the castle sustained sieges in 1132, 1137, 1145 and 1153 prior to its demolition in 1224; this was thoroughly carried out and only a portion of the motte remains with a slight section of its surrounding ditch, together with a second mound to the north - now covered with buildings. (PastScape)
Bedford Castle occupied a far larger space than appears from the present remains, for the outer bailey extended along the river front to where a postern and causeway communicated with an island, and followed the line of High Street where it touches the bridge, the whole area being enclosed by a moat. (PastScape–Ref. VCH vol2)
Although officially a royal castle, it was in the custody of the Beauchamp family throughout C12. In 1215, William de Beauchamp joined the rebellion against King John, and the castle was captured by Fawkwes de Breaute, who held it for the next 9 years. The castle was greatly strengthened with John's approval, during the course of which the parish church was demolished because it overlooked the ward, its materials being used to build the castle towers and walls. In 1224, Breaute refused to surrender the castle to the young King Henry III and broke into open rebellion. Following a 2 month long siege, the castle was captured in August 1224 and ordered to be levelled. Following this slighting, it ceased to have military significance. (PastScape–ref. Colvin et al)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL05264968

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 360158
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.castleuk.net/castle_lists_midlands/153/bedfordcastle.htm
    http://www.albion-arch.com/bedfordcastle.html
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_Castle
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p12
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p3
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p134, 355
    Drage, C., 1987, 'Urban castles' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p117-32
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p4-5
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p185-6
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p104-105
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p558-9
    Farrar, C.F., 1936, Old Bedford p.27-31, 39-50
    Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p87-93
    Page, Wm (ed), 1912, 'The borough of Bedford: Castle and barony' VCH Bedford Vol3 p9-12 [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42370]
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Bedford Vol2 p24-28
    Goddard, A.R., 1906, The Great Siege of Bedford Castle (Bedford)
    Goddard, A.R., 1904, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Doubleday, H.Arthur and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Bedford Vol1 p285-6
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol1 p136-8
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p217-23
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol2 (London) p280-3
    Lysons, D. and S., 1806, Magna Britannia Vol1 p43-6
    Blyth, T.A., 1873, History of Bedford p.10-30
• Journal Articles
  • 2005-6, 'Bedford Castle' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol 19 p127-9
    Oetgen, J., 2005, 'A regeneration issue: Bedford Castle Mound' The Archaeologist Vol57 p12-14
    2003, South Midlands Archaeology Vol33 p1
    Amt, E., 2002, 'Besieging Bedford: military logistics in 1224' Journal of Medieval Military History Vol1 p101-24
    2000, South Midlands Archaeology Vol30 p90 [saxon period]
    1991, South Midlands Archaeology Vol21 p21 [destruction]
    1988, South Midlands Archaeology Vol18 p14 [siege 1224]
    1987, South Midlands Archaeology Vol17 p7-3 [siege 1224]
    1986, South Midlands Archaeology Vol16 p28
    1983, South Midlands Archaeology Vol13 p3
    Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p35-54
    Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1981, ‘Medieval Britain in 1980’ Medieval Archaeology Vol25 p200 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Baker, D. and E., 1979, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol13 p7-64 [full excavation report]
    Kennett, D.H., 1979, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol4 p85
    1978, CBA Group 9: South Midlands Archaeology newsletter Vol8 p27, 36
    1977, CBA Group 9: South Midlands Archaeology newsletter Vol7 p43 [siege 1224]
    [Baker] in Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1973, ‘Medieval Britain in 1972’ Medieval Archaeology Vol17 p159 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Baker, David, 1973, 'Bedford Castle, Some Preliminary Results from Rescue Excavations' Chateau-Gaillard Vol6 p15-21
    1973, CBA Group 9: South Midlands Archaeology newsletter Vol3 p28 [siege 1224]
    Kennett, D.H., 1972, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol8 p139
    1972, CBA Group 9: South Midlands Archaeology newsletter Vol2 p23
    [Baker] in Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1972, ‘Medieval Britain in 1971’ Medieval Archaeology Vol16 p179 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Kennett, D.H., 1971, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol7 p89
    1971, CBA Group 9: South Midlands Archaeology newsletter Vol1 p15
    [Baker] in Wilson, D.M. and Moorhouse, S., 1971, ‘Medieval Britain in 1970’ Medieval Archaeology Vol15 p145 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    [Baker] in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, D.G., 1970, Medieval Archaeology Vol14 p175 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Kennett, D.H., 1969, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol6 p81
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] p90-121 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Fowler, 1920, Beds. Hist. Rec. Socy. Vol5 p117-32 [history of siege]
    Elwes, 1874, Assoc. Archit. Socies. Vol12 p243-60
    Clark, 1868, The Builder Vol26 p689-90 [reprinted in Medieval Military Architecture]
    C.H.H(artshorne), 1861, Beds. Archit. and Arch. Socy. pt9 p129-43, pt10 p157-60
    Hurst, 1850-1, Assoc. Archit. Socies. p381-91
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Sewell, R.C. (ed), 1846, Gesta Stephani, Regis Anglorum et Ducis Normannorum p32 http://books.google.com/books?id=MK8KAAAAYAAJ
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p89
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Speed, John, 1611-12, The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain [http://faculty.oxy.edu/horowitz/home/johnspeed/Cities3.htm]
    William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/buckseng.html#beds3]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p20, 21, 24