Information for record number MWA5388:
Medieval Banqueting Hall at the Pleasaunce

Summary A Banqueting Hall which was constructed during the Medieval and Post Medieval periods at the Pleasance. It was situated inside the double moat and was built of timber. The foundations of this building are still visible at the site.
What Is It?  
Type: Building, Banqueting House
Period: Medieval - Post-Medieval (1066 AD - 1750 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Kenilworth
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 26 72
(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 Inside the double moat at the Pleasurance was a timber banqueting hall. This was dismantled by Henry VIII.
2 Foundations are visible within the island of the moat.
4 Scheduled as Warwickshire Monument No 2.
8 Rescheduled as SM 21557.
9 A series of geophysical surveys were undertaken across the Pleasance, which detected anomalies likely to represent the remains of features dating from the time of its use as a pleasure ground. A large hexagonal compacted area has been detected in the centre of the diamond shaped mound and this may well be the remains of a central garden or courtyard. At three corners of the mound, remains of footings for towers have been detected. It is possible that robbed out remains of the fourth western tower have been detected. Possible evidence for a range of buildings have been detected on the SW side of the mound. It is suggested that this may possible be kitchens or food preparation areas, given the strong magnetic response. It is also likely that this range of structures provided the materials for the buildings Henry VII re-erected within the castle after he ordered the buildings on the Pleasance to be demolished.
 
Sources

Source No: 7
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title:
Author/originator: J Pickering
Date: 1962
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: SP4489 C/D/E/X
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Moated Sites Research Group
Author/originator: JEC
Date: 1983
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Card
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: TBAS vol 49
Author/originator: Phelps W
Date: 1923
Page Number: 61-2
Volume/Sheet: 49
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Geophysical Survey Report
Title: Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire. Report on Geophysical Surveys, June and July 2004
Author/originator: Linford, N, Linford, P and Martin, L
Date: 2005
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Plan
Title: OS Card, 35NE5
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1968
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 35NE5
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: OS Card 25NE6
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1968
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM County List 1994
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: AM7
Author/originator: DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM List 1983
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1983
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 SAM List Scheduled Ancient Monument List. A list or schedule of archaelogical and historic monuments that are considered to be of national importance. The list contains a detailed description of each Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) and a map showing their location and extent. By being placed on the schedule, SAMs are protected by law from any unauthorised distrubance. The list has been compiled and is maintained by English Heritage. It is updated periodically. 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
technique Geophysical Survey The measuring and recording of electrical resistivity or magnetism in order to determine the existence and outline of buried features such as walls and ditches. Geophysical techniques include resistivity survey, magnetometer survey and ground penetrating radar. View Image back
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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period Post Medieval About 1540 AD to 1750 AD (the 16th century AD to the 18th century AD)

The Post Medieval period comes after the medieval period and before the Imperial period.

This period covers the second half of the reign of the Tudors (1485 – 1603), the reign of the Stuarts (1603 – 1702) and the beginning of the reign of the Hannoverians (1714 – 1836).
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monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. 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 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 COURTYARD * An uncovered area, surrounded or partially surrounded by buildings. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument GARDEN * An enclosed piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of flowers, fruit or vegetables and/or recreational purposes. Use more specific type where known. back
monument STRUCTURE * A construction of unknown function, either extant or implied by archaeological evidence. If known, use more specific type. back
monument ISLAND * A piece of land, sometimes man-made, completely surrounded by water. back
monument PLEASANCE * An area attached to a house, or part of an estate used for pleasure and recreation. back
monument MOUND * A natural or artificial elevation of earth or stones, such as the earth heaped upon a grave. Use more specific type where known. back
monument BANQUETING HOUSE * A hall, apartment or large room, designed or used primarily for festive or state functions. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record