Meppershall; The Hills

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Meppenhall; Maperteshalam

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

Motte measuring circa 25.0m by 30.0m, with baileys of irreuglar shape. The surrounding ditches are dry and there appears to be the remains of a contemporary sluice ditch on the North-East side. The motte and bailey are surrounded by the bank and ditch of an outer entrenchment in the form of a rough square enclosing about 30 acres. The whole site is largely devoid of habitation, and this outer enclosure is probably comtemporary with the motte and bailey. This motte may have been one of those besieged by King Stephen in 1138. (PastScape)
The caput of the Meppershall family who held the manor as tenent in chief. A family of local importance and occasional royal service in minor positions.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL13253585

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 362452
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 369 '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
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p14
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p4 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p6
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p259
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p109-11
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Goddard, A.R., 1904, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Doubleday, H.Arthur and Page, Wm (eds), VCH Bedford Vol1 p295-6
• Journal Articles
  • Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p35-54 [plan]
    Dyer, J.F., 1961-3, Bedfordshire magazine Vol8 p271
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Cronne, H.A. and Davis R.H.C. (eds), 1968, Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum, 1066–1154 Vol3 Regesta regis Stephani ac Mathildis imperatricis ac Gaufridi et Henrici ducum Normannorum, 1135-54 no138 http://www.archive.org/details/regestaregumangl03grea