Information for record number MWA5296:
Tower Keep Castle at Baginton

Summary The remains of a medieval building, possibly a tower, were found on the site of Baginton Castle during an excavation. The tower had been built at a later date than the rest of the Castle.
What Is It?  
Type: Castle, Tower
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Baginton
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 34 74
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Excavation in 1933-48 of a 14th century building on the site of an earlier castle (PRN 2676). To the W the building overlooks the river, but on all other sides there is a descent of several feet down to the building. The building was possibly constructed in a quarry. The space between the castle wall and the bank of the quarry formed a moat. Sir William Bagot purchased the castle in 1381. On the E side masonry was found just beneath the turf. A floor was found at 2.1 m. Two thousand heraldic floor tiles were found from a floor of a room on the upper floor which had collapsed. Other finds included a broken sword blade, a bone pin, and some sherds of Tudor green and brown glazed pottery. Much of the stonework of the upper stories, including vaulting and ribs of the arches, was found. Further evidence for levelling in the 19th century was found. Traces of a chimney and stair tower were found on the W of the building and various finds were made, including a bronze pin, playing counters, a silver coin of Henry VI and coins of Edward IV. A garderobe was uncovered at the SW corner. Finds of 14th century to 17th century date were made in this area and also coins, bones and bronze pins.
2 Excavation has revealed the lower story of a strongly-built house, with features such as would be ascribed to the late 14th century. The foundations are about 12.8m from E-W and 16.1m from N-S, and the outside walls are 1.5m thick. All the walling is of carefully-dressed ashlar. A moat surrounded the building and appears to have held water. The kitchen area was in the W of the building and the Great Hall was above the N part. Chatwin suggests that the building had four floors and was a tower.
3 VCH entry.
4 The foundations are still exposed.
5 Scheduled as Warwickshire Monument No 061-in.
6 Rescheduled as SAM 21540.
7 A bridge across the east ditch gave entry to the tower. This may have meant that the castle boundary was extended into the plateau at this time. The tower was free standing. The castle should probably be seen as a secure country house as there were obvious weakly defended areas such as the north-west doorway.
8 Noted in West Midlands archaeology.
 
Sources
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: TBAS vol 67
Author/originator: Chatwin P B
Date: 1951
Page Number: 13-16
Volume/Sheet: 67
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 6, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1951
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: VI
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: Bagot's Castle, Baginton, Warwickshire - Archaeological recording of consolidation work
Author/originator: Palmer N
Date: 2012
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: OS Card 26NE2
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1961
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 26NE2
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 69
Author/originator: Edwards J H
Date: 1953
Page Number: 44-49
Volume/Sheet: 69
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Serial
Title: West Midlands Archaeology Vol 54
Author/originator: CBA West Midlands
Date: 2012
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 54
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: Tower Keep Castle at Baginton
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: Baginton Castle
Author/originator: Ministry of Works/DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
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source OS Card Ordnance Survey Record Card. Before the 1970s the Ordnance Survey (OS) were responsible for recording archaeological monuments during mapping exercises. This helped the Ordnance Survey to decide which monuments to publish on maps. During these exercises the details of the monuments were written down on record cards. Copies of some of the cards are kept at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. The responsibility for recording archaeological monuments later passed to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments. back
source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
source VCH The Victoria County History of the Counties of England. This publication covers the history of each county in England. For Warwickshire, seven volumes were published between 1904 and 1964. They comprise a comprehensive account of the history of each town and village in the county, and important families connected to local history. Each volume is organised by 'hundred', an Anglo-Saxon unit of land division. The Victoria County History also contains general chapters about Warwickshire's prehistory, ecclesiastical and economic history. A copy of each volume is held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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monument COUNTRY HOUSE * The rural residence of a country gentleman. back
monument GARDEROBE * A small latrine or toilet, usually built into the thickness of the wall of a castle or great house, with the waste dropping into a cess pit or straight to the outside. back
monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument GREAT HALL * A large communal room often occupying the full height of the building, used for functions such as meetings, entertainments etc. Traditionally found in medieval buildings but also found in later buildings emulating medieval architecture. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument BOUNDARY * The limit to an area as defined on a map or by a marker of some form, eg. BOUNDARY WALL. Use specific type where known. back
monument TOWER KEEP * A fortified keep in the form of a tower, used as a last refuge or defence. If a component of a larger site, use KEEP. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument KITCHEN * A building or room where food is prepared and cooked. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument MOAT * A wide ditch surrounding a building, usually filled with water. Use for moated sites, not defensive moats. Use with relevant site type where known, eg. MANOR HOUSE, GARDEN, etc. back
monument CASTLE * A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument DITCH * A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year. back
monument QUARRY * An excavation from which stone for building and other functions, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc. back
monument CHIMNEY * Chimney used on an industrial or commercial site. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record