Walden Castle (EHER 411)

Castle, early 12th century keep built on a artificially heightened hill. Keep later used as semaphore station, barn and lime kiln. The Bailey ditch has been found by various excavations, and suggests that there were two ditch phases. The earliest bailey appears to have encompassed the whole circuit of Bury Hill. This was replaced by a much reduced bailey which ended East of the present church site, on the East side of the present Museum Street, and was entirely cut anew within the area of the earliest bailey.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 411 and 27151. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Walden Castle (NR) (Remains of) Bury Hill (NR). <1> Walden Castle originally consisted of a mount on the east crowned by a keep, and a large bailey on the west. The keep was built and the earthworks constructed late in the 11th or early 12th century. The buildings apparently fell into decay at an early date; only remains of the keep now survive. Little remains of the earthworks which lie on high ground on a promontory formed by the River Slade and another stream. The site of the bailey is well defined by a steep scarp enclosing about 2 acres (Bury Hill). The line of the ditch at the foot of the scarp has been ascertained at several points, and is now occupied by Castle Street on the south, and on the east it followed the old road which is now obliterated by the grounds of Castle Hill House. The keep mount was never apparently of great height, and is now almost level with the surrounding ground. The keep is built of flint rubble with a coursed facing; no dressing remains. Two stages of the building stand, and are entirely of early 12th century date, except a low addition at the north-west angle built late in the 18th century as a semaphore station. <2> 200 yards east of the parish church. Originally a motte and bailey castle with a keep on the motte. Built in the late 11th-early 12th century. Apparently early decay-only the keep ruins survive. Little remains of the earthworks-a transverse scarp across the bailey may indicate a dividing wall. The line of the ditch at the foot of the scarp marking the bailey is occupied by streets, Castle Street, Museum Street, Church Street, on the east it followed the old road, know obliterated by the grounds of Castle Hill House. The keep motte was apparently never very high, is now almost level with the ground around it. No dressings of the keep remain. 2 stages stand, entirely 12th century except for a low addition at the north west angle, from a late 18th century semaphore station. The base of the forebuilding survives and the entrance way was probably at 3rd storey level. Inside is the base of a pier, probably for a column. On the floor above there are traces of a circular staircase and of a well shaft. There are remains of a large fireplace in the upper storey. Foundations of several rubble walls survive in the bailey. <3> <4> Walden was one of Geoffrey de Mandeville's castle surrendered to Stephen in 1142 and destroyed in 1157-8. <5> Scheduled. <6> Site Assessment = Specification for repair works to the keep is in the SMR. <7> April 1950. Field visit. The keep is all that now remains of Walden Castle, correct as shown on 6" Field Sheet. <8> May 1968. Field visit. No change; published 1:2500 correct. <9> 1971-1972. Excavation. A soil mark over the supposed castle bailey ditch was excavated in 1972 at Castle Hill, Common Hill, and found to be a ditch surviving toa depth of 2.5m some 3.5m wide with flat bottom. Major irregularities in the lower sides and bottom of the feature suggested that it had been a quarry ditch only, or that it was an unfinished defensive work used as a strengthening during the Anarchy or representing a portion of an unfinished original work. <10> 1975-1976. Excavation. The northern edge of the south ditch of the inner bailey was observed during sewer construction. The section was just north of Church Street (TL 53933867) and the bailey ditch was found to run parallel to Church Street. <11> 1975-1976. Excavation. M.R. Petchey for Essex County Council cut a section across the outer bailey ditch in Barnard's Yard, High Street. It was V-shaped, 4.30m deep from the present ground surface, had a flat bottom 1.20m wide, and was 6m wide at the top. It had been deliberately filled during the late 12th century. <12> 1978-1979. Excavation. Excavation of the forebuilding of the keep was undertaken as part of a scheme to conserve the castle. The soil build-up within the fore-building was removed down to an undated chalk floor. Later floor levels indicate use of the building as a barn, recorded in 1836 and later as a lime-kiln. <13> 1982. Excavation. The motte was up around the keep. The keep and bailey are contemporary, it seems. The likely construction date is 1103-1143, probably towards the end of this period. Possibly built by Geoffrey (II) de Mandeville. Refortification after 1347 included: a masonry hall and lesser buildings, a masonry wall around the line of the bailey which was divided into an inner and outer area by a cross wall between the hall and the keep. There is also some evidence for a refurbishment before 1200 The castle ditch has been found at various points in Castle Street and Museum Street, in sewer trenches in 1911-13 by Maynard. In 1975 the northern edge of the bailey ditch, parallel to the Church Street, was located in a watching brief. The forebuilding was excavated as part of a scheme by Uttlesford District Council, ECC and the DOE to conserve the castle. A short period of research excavation took place in 1973 in and around the keep, in Castle Meadows. Also a new survey of the building was made after clearance of vegetation from the walls as part of the above conservation scheme. The basement of the keep was probably for storage, the 1st floor having the hall, undivided. Holes survive for floor joists. The pier in the centre probably continued to higher level. The keep was entered via a forebuilding, above the hall level, possibly via a hall gallery. The stair to the forebuilding was at least partly covered. Archaeological and documentary evidence suggests some dismantling of the keep and associated earthworks between 1157-60. There is some evidence that the keep was repaired in the late 12th century and remained in repair, probably until the 16th century. The 1973 excavations found no evidence for an earlier motte or ringwork. Traces of clearance and construction activities were found including post holes, probably for scaffolding associated with the keep's construction. Excavations within the keep uncovered various spreads of mortar and a flow of mortar. Outside, it was found that the raising of the flanking mound had started before the keep was finished. Associated earthworks were also excavated. After a short period of use the earthworks underwent a wholesale reduction. Excavation in the grounds of Castle Hill House uncovered part of the bailey bank and ditch This also seems to have been deliberately reduced, possibly as part of the reduction of the earthworks suggested from the Castle Meadows excavation. The ditch here (Castle Hill House) was apparently unfinished. <14> 1986-1987. Excavation. Excavation at the castle by D Andrews for Essex County Council showed a layer of chalk at a depth of 0.30m - 0.35m to be redeposited, sealing a possible cellar or pit, perhaps of the C13th. It may have been sealed by a building, possibly the manor house recorded in the vicinity. All the evidence indicates that the castle earthworks and buildings have been extensively destroyed or altered in the post-medieval period. <15> June 1989. Field survey. Walden Castle occupies the west spur end of Bury Hill, with the land falling to all sides except the north-east. The remains of the keep occupy a local high point possibly enhanced by artificial heightening. The keep is a square flint built structure standing about 10m with the remains of an entrance tower on the north-west corner. The monument is a fairly amorphous structure of mortared flint with no freestone detail remaining. The west wall has been heavily consolidated, elsewhere however differential weathering allows building lifts of about 0.6m to be discerned. The basement has two alcoves on the west wall and single alcoves on the north and south walls. There is a single alcove on the west wall at first floor level. Central to the basement is the foundation of a central pillar, it is unclear whether this formed the central springer for a vaulted undercroft or a support for timber flooring. Externally the remains of buttresses may be seen on the east, south, and north walls. The monument is in fair condition but is heavily ivy covered in places. The keep as noted above sits on a local prominence which may in part be artificial. The earthworks visible today have been smoothed by their incorporation into a public park. A levelling out of the earthworks against the roads may indicate the former presence of properties backing onto the castle. A scarp projecting from the south-west corner of the castle represents an old wall or hedge-line. The former extent of the castle may partly be preserved in the local road pattern, a horse shoe shape with the keep at the heel. The area of the bailey now occupied by the Museum and tennis courts is up to 3.0m - 4.0m above surrounding roads. Although this may in part be emphasised by the terracing into the hill of the buildings and gardens of Church Street and Castle Street. St Mary's Church may occupy the area of an outer bailey, the church and its enclosure being 2.0m - 5.0m above the surrounding properties. Museum Street sits in a hollow and may mark the position of a ditch between the two baileys. <16> 1998. Geophysical survey. A geophysical survey identified a number of broad responses that could be archaeologically significant. The results show the possible existence of a building to the west of the castle, and has identified a number of possible wall-like features. Due to the poorly defined nature of the anomalies it has not been possible to give a precise delineation of features, although areas of potential interest were identified. <17> 1999. Historic assessment. The castle comprised of three distinct units:- The keep which was located within an ovoid inner bailey, which was in turn enclosed by an oval outer bailey. The outer bailey also enclosed the medieval church and the early medieval town. The keep consists of a massive square tower of at least three storeys, with clasping buttresses. It is of flint rubble and mortar construction, there is no evidence for there ever having been ashlar quoins or facing. There was a rectangular forebuilding on the north end of the west side of the keep, approached by a staircase. It was under construction or possibly even completed by 1141 and was certainly substantially complete by 1143. In 1157 the castle was ordered to be slighted following de Mandeville’s arraignment for treason; some evidence for at least partial demolition was found during the Castle Meadows excavations. It is possible that permission was granted to William de Mandeville to refortify Walden castle at the same time as the refortifying of his castle at Pleshey in 1167. However, the next direct reference to structural work at Walden dates to 1347 when de Bohun was granted permission to crenellate the manerium. The keep was enclosed by the inner bailey, which was ovoid in plan with an internal area of about 1.25 ha. The bailey earthwork is mirrored by the line of Museum Street to the west, and Castle Street and Church Street to the north and south. Castle Hill road (which is 19th century) lies on the approximate eastern edge. Maynard observed the inner bailey ditch in sewer trenches in Castle Street and Museum Street in 1911-13 and Petchey located the possible innermost lip of the ditch running parallel to Church Street in 1975. Within the inner bailey there is documentary evidence for an internal chalk rampart division (perhaps with a ditch) which ran on a north-east south-west alignment from the south-west corner of the keep to a southern gatehouse. The manorial court rolls post-dating 1381 mention a masonry hall within the inner bailey to the west of the keep, which was rented out on short leases to the men of the town. The manorial rolls also make it clear that there were other structures within the inner bailey area. The outer bailey enclosed both the inner bailey and the rest of the Bury Hill promontory. It was an elongated oval in plan, with long sides to the north and south. Limited excavation in 1972 in the grounds of Castle Hill House located the eastern limit of the outer bailey ditch circuit. It was 8m wide and appeared to be unfinished. A linear feature, interpreted as a sunken road ran parallel to the eastern side of the ditch. Maynard observed a ditch of similar dimensions to the south of Castle Hill House at Common Hill and again in two places in the Market Place. A section was excavated across it on the Barnard’s Yard site to the east of the High Street. The western limits of the circuit have not been fixed, but it is thought that the curved lines of Freshwell Street and Myddleton Place mirror its plan and that it probably lies in the area between the two. The northern edge is marked by an escarpment which runs along the back of the properties which face on to the north side of Castle Street. The castle had fallen into disrepair by the beginning of the post-medieval period and by 1594 it was described as ruinous. The excavation and documentary evidence suggests that robbing of the keep for rubble and the demolition of the upper storeys began in the 16th century. In the 18th century a barn was built inside the shell of the keep. In 1796 a small turret was added to the fore-building so as to support a flag-staff and some repair work also took place. The barn was removed in 1881 and the interior excavated. <18> 2010. Excavation and watching brief. Archaeological excavation and monitoring was carried out during rebuilding of the retaining wall to the rear of 30 Castle Street and on the north side of Saffron Walden Castle. A 4m trench was excavated across the line of an earth bank and underlying deposits to the south of the retaining wall, with the aim of recording and dating the castle's inner bailey defences. A build-up of deposits about 2m thick was recorded. Above the natural chalk, a buried medieval topsoil was overlain by a series of compacted sand, flint and chalk deposits interpreted as the foundations of the mid 14th century inner bailey curtain wall. <19> 2011. Watching brief. Archaeological monitoring was carried out during groundworks for the construction of a new toilet, septic tank, and drainage system at Castle Hill Tennis Club, Saffron Walden. Although the groundworks were relatively small-scale they have still provided a useful window into the western half of the inner bailey and have shown that potential medieval and post-medieval strata survive intact in places to a depth exceeding 1m. The discovery of the robbed foundation of a building of probable medieval date is particularly important as few remains of other contemporary buildings have so far been identified within the castle other than the keep itself. <20> 2013. Trial trenching. Three small trenches were excavated at the foot of the extant forebuilding structure, at the northwest corner of the keep, each to a depth of about 1.0m. All trenches contained similar sequences of chalk and flint rubble and clay silt layers of later post-medieval and modern date. These are interpreted as representing 19th and 20th century levelling and landscaping of the immediate vicinity around the keep. No deposit sequences were excavated to their full depth. Despite being positioned over the projected lines of previously demolished walls, in situ bonded rubble foundation remains were not encountered, though could still survive buried at greater depth. Residual medieval pottery was retrieved from the investigated post-medieval deposits, suggesting that in situ remains of this date have been disturbed by later wall robbing and/or landscaping activity. <21> 2015. Excavation. Excavation involved hand digging of a 2m by 4m trench, to a maximum depth of c.1.2m, for the construction of a buttress up against the interior of the west curtain wall of the keep. A late 17th century, or later, layer of made-ground, cut through and partially removed by the south-west corner of a large, possibly recut, pit were encountered. The pit, perhaps a robber cut or an inspection pit, contained late post-medieval/modern artefacts and lay beneath gravel and topsoil. Most of the artefacts retrieved comprised ceramic building material or pottery sherds including Staffordshire-type slipware, modern stoneware and flower pots of 18th to 20th century date range. A small quantity of residual 13th to 14th century pottery sherds presumably derive from the castle’s medieval heyday. <22> 2015. Watching brief. Archaeological monitoring of the construction of a Stag Beetle loggery found no evidence of pre modern archaeology. <23> See also: <24> - <34>