A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



formed out 



C^at/e *FArm 



The yards supporting and defending the keep, roughly east and west, 

 are also of special interest, that on the east being the smaller of the two ; 

 somewhat similar double yards are found at Ongar Castle, in Essex, Castle 

 Rising, in Norfolk, and Morton Castle, near Gainsborough, in Lincolnshire. 

 The rampart on the east side of the west yard, and the double entrench- 

 ment on the south-east of the east yard should be noticed ; the latter is 

 somewhat similar to that found at Castle Acre, in Norfolk, at the north-east 

 corner. The larger enclosure on the north-north-west, once ploughed, now 

 bare, is rather peculiar ; it seems rather small to answer to the large outside 

 enclosures connected with such mote castles as Pleshey and Ongar, in Essex, 

 and New Radnor, in Radnorshire, which formed the settlements within the 

 jurisdiction of the governor of the castle. The causeway from this enclosure 

 to the west yard and the opening on the west from the outside are probably 

 the original entrances ; if there were no stonework connected with the 

 stronghold then movable bridges of wood most likely existed. 



Across the slight gully on the south is the remnant of a rectangular 

 earthwork called, for want of a better name. Castle Dykes Camp ; as will be 

 read under that heading it is likely to have been a defensive work of earlier 

 date than this castle ; it certainly does not form part of it. 



FoTHERiNGHAY Castle (3 miles N. by E. of Oundle). — This mote 

 castle, one of the few in Northamptonshire which are of the true mound 

 and court type, is not in very good preservation. It is 

 of ground about 6 <; feet above sea level, 

 and 9 feet above the river Nene. The 

 mound is some 38 feet above the lowest 

 part of its ditch, the summit measur- 

 ing 72 feet by 66 feet, and practically 

 flat, though there is ' some inequality of 

 surface.' The court is of moderate size, 

 protected on the south-west by the river 

 Nene, and once probably by a stone 

 wall ; and on the north-east and south- 

 east by a ditch, with the ballast thrown 

 inward to form one rampart ; this court, 

 like the mound, has some inequality of surface, as if stone foundations had 

 been dug out. The ditch, which was evidently supplied with water from 

 the river at flood time, never continued further round the mound than is 

 shown on the plan. The entrance was apparently between the mound and 

 the river. Probably there were other enclosures on the north-east and 

 south-east, but now the ground at these points has no definite trace of 

 earthworks. The only visible remains of masonry is a block near 

 the river. 



LiLBouRNE Castle (4 miles E.N.E. of Rugby). — This, a mote castle 

 of the mound and court type, stands upon low ground close to the river 

 Avon, which with a stream upon the east and the intermediate marsh 

 land protects it on the north and north-east generally, while upon the south- 

 west is higher land. It consists of a mound, a bailey upon the south-south- 

 east, and a second yard on the north-east, and perhaps once a larger enclosure 

 on the south-east. The mound is of small circumference, as are most of the 



410 



FoTHERINCHAY CaSTLE. 



