Woodwalton Castle
Encyclopedia
Woodwalton Castle was a small motte and bailey castle at Church End, the northern end of the parish of Woodwalton
, Huntingdonshire
. Located on a natural hillock, the earthworks of the castle still remain, with an outer moat enclosing a circular bailey with a central motte. A large dyke, apparently ancient, runs from the outer moat in a north-easterly direction. The site is a scheduled ancient monument
.
It is unknown who built the castle or when it was constructed. It may have been erected by the de Bolbec family who held the manor of Woodwalton between 1086 and 1134, or by Ramsey Abbey
which was granted the manor by Walter de Bolbec in 1134. Alternatively, it may have been built during The Anarchy
, either by the sons of Aubrey de Senlis, who seized Woodwalton in 1143-4, or by Ernald, illegitimate son of Geoffrey de Mandeville
, who moved his forces from Ramsey to Woodwalton after the death of his father in 1144.
The existence of fishponds implies that the castle outlived the period of military conflict and developed as a residence controlling the northern part of the parish. The main settlement of Woodwalton village lies some 2km to the south, and St Andrew's Church
stands in isolation 600m south of the castle, possibly to serve both settlements.
Woodwalton
Woodwalton – in Huntingdonshire , England – is a village near Abbots Ripton south west of Ramsey. The civil parish of Wood Walton is spread over a wide area, the main village dissected by the East Coast Main Line...
, Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
. Located on a natural hillock, the earthworks of the castle still remain, with an outer moat enclosing a circular bailey with a central motte. A large dyke, apparently ancient, runs from the outer moat in a north-easterly direction. The site is a scheduled ancient monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
.
It is unknown who built the castle or when it was constructed. It may have been erected by the de Bolbec family who held the manor of Woodwalton between 1086 and 1134, or by Ramsey Abbey
Ramsey Abbey
Ramsey Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey located in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, England, southeast of Peterborough and north of Huntingdon, UK.-History:...
which was granted the manor by Walter de Bolbec in 1134. Alternatively, it may have been built during The Anarchy
The Anarchy
The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...
, either by the sons of Aubrey de Senlis, who seized Woodwalton in 1143-4, or by Ernald, illegitimate son of Geoffrey de Mandeville
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville II, 1st Earl of Essex was one of the prominent players during the reign of King Stephen of England. His biographer, the 19th-century historian J. H...
, who moved his forces from Ramsey to Woodwalton after the death of his father in 1144.
The existence of fishponds implies that the castle outlived the period of military conflict and developed as a residence controlling the northern part of the parish. The main settlement of Woodwalton village lies some 2km to the south, and St Andrew's Church
St Andrew's Church, Woodwalton
St Andrew's Church, Woodwalton, is a redundant Anglican church standing in an isolated position in fields about to the north of the village of Woodwalton, Cambridgeshire, England. It is about to the east of the East Coast Main Line and is visible from the passing trains...
stands in isolation 600m south of the castle, possibly to serve both settlements.