Caxton Moats

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; The Moats

In the civil parish of Caxton.
In the historic county of Cambridgeshire (Modern Authority of Cambridgeshire, 1974 county of Cambridgeshire).

Three contigous moated enclosures arranged in an inverted L-shaped plan. The moated site may have originated in C12 as the seat of the de Scalers family with the northern island being the earliest part of the complex. The arrangement of platforms and the scale of the moat have been compared with the rectangular motte at Burwell Castle, which is known to have been built in the mid-C12. It has been suggested that the two known to have been built in the mid-C12. It has been suggested that the two the two that the two sites were contemporary, both built on the orders of King Stephen around 1143. The earliest clear documentary reference to the site, however, dates from 1312, when it was occupied by a dower house. The expansion of the complex, with additional islands, fishponds and warren may be a reflection of this later period, and it remains possible that the elaborate appearance of the northern island resulted not from a need for defence, but to create a more prestigious dwelling reflecting the status of the later inhabitants.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL29475870

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 366006