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Someries Castle
Also known as, or recorded in historical
documents as; Summeries
In the civil parish of Hyde.
In the historic county of Bedfordshire (Modern Authority of Bedfordshire, 1974 county of Bedfordshire).
The upstanding and buried remains of the late medieval magnate's residence known as Someries Castle. The upstanding remains include the gatehouse and chapel forming the north west wing of the magnate's residence. Although the roof has gone, the walls survive almost to a full height. The area occupied by the main block of the residence is defined by a raised platform containing low, irregular earthworks to the north east of the garden earthworks. Traces of a substantial brick wall are visible in the north east corner of the site. The name Someries Castle is derived from William de Someries, whose residence stood on the site in C13. The magnate's residence was built by Lord Wenlock, who acquired the Someries estate in the 1430s. The mansion is this thought to be one of the earliest brick buildings in England. The residence was never completed and much of the building was pulled down in 1742.
This site has been described as a;
Fortified Manor House.
The confidence
that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.
This site is a scheduled
monument protected by law.
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL11922013
PastScape number;
362398
Books
- Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p16
Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p295
Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p3-4
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p8 [rejected as a fortified site]
James Dyer, Frank Stygall and John Dony, 1964, The Story of Luton (Luton: White Crescent Press) p66-7
Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Bedford Vol2 p364-5
Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol1 p140-1
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p280
Journal Articles
- Baker, David et al, 1982, Archaeological Journal Vol139 p43
1970, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol5 p109-112
Smith, 1966, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol3 p35-51
Fowler, 1889, St Alban's Architectural and Archaeological Society p31-45
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