Dear All,
Two Bedfordshire sites have been mentioned so far: the 'Danish Dock' by the River Ouse at Willington by Alex and Gannocks Castle at Tempsford by Philip. There is no evidence that either is Danish. Three separate pieces of archaeological work within and adjacent to the Willington site in recent decades have produced nothing earlier than medieval with the 12th/13th century predominating. It is a slightly more complex medieval moat. The so called 'dock' within the site is probably the result of expanding the eastern arm of the moat when digging for gravel in the 19th century.
Gannocks Castle is a relatively small but typical rectangular Bedfordshire medieval moat close to the village of Tempsford but a little distant from the River Ouse. Recent geophysics within the moat revealed no evidence of anything preceding it on this site whilst immediately adjacent only traces of ridge and furrow and a ring ditch (probably Bronze Age)were indicated.
Stephen
Stephen Coleman
Historic Environment Information Officer
Heritage and Environment Section
Bedfordshire County Council
County Hall
Cauldwell Street
BEDFORD
MK42 9AP
Tel: (01234) 228072 (Direct)
42072 (Internal)
Fax: (01234) 228232
E-mail: [log in to unmask] mailto:[log in to unmask]
See <http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/EnvironmentAndPlanning/HeritageAndEnvironment> for information and news on Heritage and Environment services
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of CARLISLE, Philip
Sent: 18 October 2007 11:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Scandinavian Fortifications in the UK
Hi all,
Frank Stenton mentions Danish fortifications in Tempsford in Bedford (not too far from Stamford) and the scheduled monument description for Gannocks Castle states that the site is believed to be that of the fortress mentioned in the AS Chronicles see below.
"The monument includes the remains of the Medieval moated enclosure of Gannocks Castle
The moated site is rectangular in form measuring some 65m
by 55m including the 10m wide surrounding moat. The moat is some 2.5m deep
and water-filled along its northern arm. Entrance to the interior is
provided by a slight causeway at the north-east corner. A substantial inner
bank or rampart is visible around the edge of the island on all but the east
side. A small mound measuring 7m across is located at the north-east corner
of the island and may be the location of a defensive building or structure
opposite the entrance. A low bank is evident along the outer eastern edge of
the moat although its central section is only barely visible.
The site is believed to be built on the same spot as an earlier Danish
Fortress referred to in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle as being constructed in
921 AD and captured later that year by Edward the Elder."
Phil
Phil Carlisle
Data Standards Supervisor
English Heritage
National Monuments Record Centre
Kemble Drive
Swindon
SN2 2GZ
+44 (0)1793 414824
http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/
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P Please do not print this e-mail unless you really need to
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Wardle
Sent: 18 October 2007 10:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Scandinavian Fortifications in the UK
A very open question for which I sure there is no certain answer: You might look to see if there's any evidence that the burh defences at York and the five boroughs might not have been Saxon. There's no such evidence at Leicester. More generally you might try the Heritage Gateway, but don't get your hopes too high!
As for Repton it's still not published, but I believe Biddle changed his view about a "'D'-shaped Danish enclosure" and concluded that the large ditch and boat dock were the remains of a Norman castle next to the Trent, and which was flattened after the Stephen/Matilda civil war.
Chris Wardle
City Archaeologist
Planning Policy & Design
Leicester City Council
Block A
New Walk Centre
Welford Place
Leicester. LE1 6ZR
0116 2527282
[log in to unmask]
>>> David Evans <[log in to unmask]> 18/10/2007 08:49:36 >>>
This is going to sound like one of those annoying student requests - so
here goes.
I know of a number of documentary references to Scandinavian (I expect
we are not allowed to call them Viking anymore) fortifications in
C10-11UK, however apart from the dubious case of Repton, does anyone
know of any certain examples, another Aggersborg would be nice!
David Evans
Historic Environment Record Officer
Planning and Environment
South Gloucestershire Council
Civic Centre
High Street
Kingswood
BS15 9TR
Phone: 01454 863649
fax: 01454 865173
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