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Radcot; The Garrison
In the civil parish of Grafton And Radcot.
In the historic county of Oxfordshire (Modern Authority of Oxfordshire, 1974 county of Oxfordshire).
Suggested Stephanic castle site. There is documentary evidence of a Stephanic castle at Radcot built and taken in 1142. This castle was presumably sited close to the Thames crossing at a site now called The Garrison. The Garrison is recorded in PastScape as "Large medieval moat altered by later drainage works. Medieval pottery, C13 or C14 in date, and roofing tile have been found. Field investigations in 1973 noted no visible traces of buildings within the interior. The examination of aerial photographs as part of the Thames Valley Mapping Project in 1996 found it to be rectangular in plan, measuring 130m by 110m with cropmarks of a linear ditch, possibly part of an enclosure within the interior. A linear bank, 64m long abutted the southeastern corner of the moat, this may have formed part of a second enclosure." Leland wrote 'this used to be a strong tower and is now a mansion house' of the Bessel family. What did Leland mean by 'strong tower' here? Omen writes was a peel-tower apparently built by the Lovells in C15.
This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Fortified Manor House
Tower House.
The confidence
that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Earthworks remains.
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU28489964
PastScape number;
1392373, 225746
Books
- Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p75
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p387
Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p289
Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p28
Journal Articles
- Jope, E.M., 1948, 'Recent Mediaeval Finds in the Oxford Region' Oxoniensia Vol13 p72-3
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p372
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