Battlefields›First Barons' War: Siege of Bedford Castle, 1224
Medieval

First Barons' War: Siege of Bedford Castle, 1224

1224
England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Falkes de Breaute (castle defended in his absence by his brother William de Breaute)
VS
Victor
Henry III of England
Forces involved

Royal besieging army of between about 1,600 and 2,700 men at any one time, drawn with equipment from across England; garrison of around 80 defenders

Outcome
Castle surrendered on 15 August 1224 after an eight-week siege and four assaults; the garrison of about 80 men was hanged (bar three knights spared by joining the Knights Templar); the king then ordered the castle demolished.
The Battle

History & Significance

First Barons' War: Siege of Bedford Castle, 1224 was a medieval siege, the investment of a fortified position, fought in England in 1224. Henry III of England prevailed over Falkes de Breaute (castle defended in his absence by his brother William de Breaute). Castle surrendered on 15 August 1224 after an eight-week siege and four assaults; the garrison of about 80 men was hanged (bar three knights spared by joining the Knights Templar); the king then ordered the castle demolished.

Confirmed battlefield location
The ground

The ground they fought on

The site of First Barons' War: Siege of Bedford Castle, 1224 lies on Kellaways Formation And Oxford Clay Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Oxfordian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

Casualties & Losses
  • More than 200 royalist soldiers and labourers killed, including seven knights, during the siege; the entire male garrison (bar three knights) was hanged after surrender
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Frequently Asked Questions

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Overview
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Monuments
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Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
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Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near First Barons' War: Siege of Bedford Castle, 1224

Bedford Castle motte and bailey
Bedford Castle motte and bailey
Scheduled monument · ~0 mi

Bedford Castle is a motte and bailey castle located in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The castle was established in the Norman period following the conquest of 1066 and represents a characteristic example of early Norman military architecture. The site comprises a substantial mound, or motte, su…

Matthew Paris / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Moot Hall
The Moot Hall
Scheduled monument · ~1.4 mi

The Moot Hall in Bedfordshire is a timber-framed structure dating from the medieval period that served as an administrative and judicial centre for the local community. The building exhibits characteristic half-timbered construction typical of late medieval civic architecture, with infill panels…

Shritwod at English Wikipedia / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
Elstow Manor House (Remains of)
Elstow Manor House (Remains of)
Scheduled monument · ~1.5 mi

Elstow Manor House is a fragmentary medieval structure located in the village of Elstow, Bedfordshire. The remains represent elements of a substantial manorial residence dating to the medieval period, reflecting the status and importance of the settlement as an established lordly centre. The surv…

Marcus de Figueiredo / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Mowsbury Hill: slight univallate hillfort and medieval moated site
Mowsbury Hill: slight univallate hillfort and medieval moated site
Scheduled monument · ~2.4 mi

Mowsbury Hill is a univallate hillfort situated in Bedfordshire, England, consisting of a single defensive bank and ditch enclosing an elevated position. The site dates to the Iron Age and represents a modest example of hillfort construction characteristic of the period. In addition to its prehis…

Simon Speed / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons
Bromham Bridge
Bromham Bridge
Scheduled monument · ~2.6 mi

Bromham Bridge is a medieval bridge spanning the River Great Ouse in Bedfordshire, England. The bridge dates from the 15th century and represents an important example of medieval masonry bridge construction, featuring a series of arches supporting a narrow carriageway typical of its period. Built…

Ashley Dace / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Willington stables
Willington stables
Scheduled monument · ~3.3 mi

Willington Stables is a range of brick-built structures located in the parish of Willington, Bedfordshire, dating to the eighteenth century. The buildings are notable examples of Georgian-period stable architecture, constructed to serve the requirements of a substantial country estate. The stable…

Mark Fitzpatrick / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Medieval lime kiln off Castle Lane
Scheduled monument · ~0.1 miles
Site of Newnham Priory
Scheduled monument · ~1 miles
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Battles near First Barons' War: Siege of Bedford Castle, 1224

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