Someries Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Summeries; Somerys

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

The upstanding and buried remains of the late medieval magnate's residence known as Someries Castle. The upstanding remains include the gatehouse and chapel forming the north west wing of the magnate's residence. Although the roof has gone, the walls survive almost to a full height. The area occupied by the main block of the residence is defined by a raised platform containing low, irregular earthworks to the north east of the garden earthworks. Traces of a substantial brick wall are visible in the north east corner of the site. The name Someries Castle is derived from William de Someries, whose residence stood on the site in C13. The magnate's residence was built by Lord Wenlock, who acquired the Someries estate in the 1430s. The mansion is this thought to be one of the earliest brick buildings in England. The residence was never completed and much of the building was pulled down in 1742. It was preceded on the site by a house which was extant in the 13th century and may have been a fortified manor house or tower house. The exact location of this building is not known. (PastScape)
By 1430 there was at least 100 years of brick building in England, so I'm not quite sure why this building is considered an early example, particular since documentary sources suggest the gatehouse dates from 1448 and the chapel from the 1460's. The site of the earlier manor house is not located with certainty and may be lost under or confused with later garden works.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL11922013

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 362398
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 360 '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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someries_castle
    http://thebigsky.smugmug.com/gallery/1589224
    http://www.shoutluton.com/attractions/someries.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p16
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p295
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p3-4
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p8 [rejected as a fortified site]
    James Dyer, Frank Stygall and John Dony, 1964, The Story of Luton (Luton: White Crescent Press) p66-7
    Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Bedford Vol2 p364-5 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62663#s2
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol1 p140-1
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p280
• Journal Articles
  • 1994, South Midlands Archaeology Vol24 p2-3
    1993, South Midlands Archaeology Vol23 p32
    1990, South Midlands Archaeology Vol20 p14, 16
    1988, South Midlands Archaeology Vol18 p26
    1987, South Midlands Archaeology Vol17 p27
    Baker, David et al, 1982, 'Proceedings of the Summer Meeting of the Royal Archaeological Institute at Bedford in 1982 [archaeology and standing buildings]' Archaeological Journal Vol139 p43
    Smith, T.P., 1976, 'The early brickwork of Someries Castle, Bedfordshire and its place in the history of English brick building' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol129 p42-58
    1978, CBA Group 9: South Midlands Archaeology newsletter Vol8 p37
    Smith, T.P., 1970, 'Someries Castle: some reconsiderations' Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol5 p109-112
    Smith, T.P., 1966, 'Someries Castle' Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol3 p35-51
    Fowler, 1889, St Alban's Architectural and Archaeological Society p31-45
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol4 p121 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl04lelauoft