Podington Motte

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Puddington Manor Farm

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

Extensive earthwork remains of a Motte and triple bailey castle, now in part mutilated. Grassed over building foundations were noted on top of the mound during field investigation in 1972. There has been slight soil robbery on the west face and the bailey defences though now slight, show evidence of having been more robust. (PastScape)
The suggestion by Pevsner that the motte and bailey type castle had 'an outer enclosure large enough to circumscribe the whole village' has been dismissed.
Although the earthworks are eroded it seems likely this was never a particularly strong castle, with a low mound and relatively slight baileys.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SP943629

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 347151
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 81 '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
  • ttp://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42387
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p15
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p4 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p6
    Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1968, Bedfordshire and the County of Huntingdon and Peterborough p135
    Wadmore, Beauchamp, 1920, The Earthworks of Bedfordshire (Bedford) p165-7
    Page, Wm (ed), 1912, 'Parishes: Podington and Hinwick' VCH Bedford Vol3 p83 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42387
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
• Journal Articles
  • Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p35-54 [plan]
    Clark, 1880, The Builder Vol38 p250