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Preston Capes motte and bailey castle is a Norman fortification situated in Northamptonshire, England. The site comprises a substantial motte, or earthen mound, with an adjoining bailey, representing a typical example of early Norman military architecture dating to the eleventh or twelfth century. The monument survives as an earthwork and remains an important record of Norman settlement and defensive strategy in the East Midlands. Like many motte and bailey castles, it reflects the rapid establishment of Norman control following the Conquest through the construction of easily defensible strongholds.
Preston Capes motte and bailey castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010661. View the official record →
Preston Capes motte and bailey castle is a Norman fortification situated in Northamptonshire, England. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1010661.
Preston Capes motte and bailey castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1010661.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Canons Ashby: the remains of a medieval monastery, castle, settlement and fields, post-medieval houses, gardens and park, and a series of five dams (3.9 km), Charwelton Bridge (4.3 km), Univallate hillfort 250m south and a bowl barrow 300m south east of Castle Dykes Farm (4.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Preston Capes motte and bailey castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Preston Capes motte and bailey castle stands on Lias Group, bedrock that formed in the Aalenian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone.