Luton Holly Lodge

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Robert de Waudari's castle

In the civil parish of Luton.
In the historic county of Bedfordshire (Modern Authority of Luton, 1974 county of Bedfordshire).

Motte and bailey erected in 1139 and pulled down in 1154. Dry ditch of bailey exposed in 1963 but not excavated. Holly Lodge stands on a mound which may be the site of this castle. An excavation in 2002 found the steep sided, V shaped, ditch, 1.6m wide and 2.9m deep confirming this as a castle site.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Nothing visible remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL09062082

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; 359711

Books

Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p14
Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p355
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p8, 9
Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p355-6
James Dyer, Frank Stygall and John Dony, 1964, The Story of Luton (Luton: White Crescent Press) p54-6

Journal Articles

Bradley, J and Gaimster, M. (eds), 2004, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2003' Medieval Archaeology Vol48 p251-2
Baker, D., 1982, 'Mottes, Moats and ringworks in Bedfordshire: Beauchamp Wadmore revisited' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p35-54

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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