Earls Barton Berry Mount

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Earthwork remains of a mound and ditch the date of which is uncertain. The mound is ovoid, flat-topped and 2m high. It appears to have been cur back a little on its south side as a result of alteration of the churchyard. It is bounded on the north side by a wide curving ditch up to 4m deep which has been truncated at both ends by later infill. The relationship between the mound and the ditch is unusual, especially on the east side where the ditch appears to be turning south east on an alignment different from the curve of the mound. This may indicate that the two features are not contemporary. The mound has been interpreted as an early medieval feature and as a Norman motte. The late C10 Saxon tower of the church stands within the outer lip of the motte ditch, possibly to incorporate the tower into the castle defenses. The Church tower is Grade 1 listed.

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Earls Barton Berry Mount

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Name Earls Barton Berry Mount 
Alternative Names Bury Close 
Historic County Northamptonshire 
Civil Parish Earls Barton 
Type Timber Castle 
Confidence Possible 
Remains Earthworks 
Listed Grade 1
Scheduled Ancient Monument Yes
Ordnance Survey Reference SP851638
Eastings 485170
Northing 263840
Images of England Reference233308
PastScape Reference345561
Historic Environment Record

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StreetMaps

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern) p75
  • Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p50, 51
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p315
  • RCHME, 1979, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the County of Northampton Vol2, Central Northamptonshire (HMSO) p40, 42
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
  • Taylor, H.M. and Taylor, Joan, 1965, Anglo-Saxon architecture: vol1 pp222-6
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1961, Buildings of England: Northamptonshire (Penguin) p195
  • Downman, E.A., 1906, in Serjeantson, R.M., Ryland, W. and Adkins, D. (eds), VCH Northampton Vol2 p405

Journals

  • 2002, South Midlands Archaeology Vol32 p34-5
  • Audouy, M., Dix, B. and Parsons, D., 1995, 'The Tower of All Saints' Church, Earls Barton, Northamptonshire: its construction and context' Archaeological Journal Vol 152 p73-94
  • Davison, B.K., 1967, 'The origins of the Castle in England' Archaeological Journal Vol124 p209-10
  • Radford, C.A.R., 1953, 'Earl's Barton Church (Report of Summer Meeting of RAC at Northampton, 1953)' Archaeological Journal Vol110 p196
  • Pryce, 1903, The Builder Vol84 p416-7
  • Clark, G.T., 1878, 'The earthworks of Brinklow, Lilbourne, and Earl's Barton' Archaeological Journal Vol35 p119

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commerical purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself. The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others. This site is based upon the databases collated and maintained by Philip Davis who kindly gave permission for its use.