Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 420180
Hob Uid: 420180
Location : Kent Swale Non Civil Parish
Grid Ref : TQ9141064380
Summary : Site of manor house pre 1368
More information : [TQ 9141 6438] Bayford Castle [NR] (Site of) [NAT] (1) Site of Bayford Castle [NR] (Erected A.D. 893) [NAT] (2) Saxton's large scale plan shows the site of Goodmanston manor house, called "castle ruffe", in approximately the same position as the O.S. symbol for Bayford Castle, to the north-east of the moated site of Bayford manor house. [See TQ 96 SW 15.] Bayford Castle and Goodmanston (Goodneston, Godewynston) were separate manors but appear to have been held by the same persons from c. 1368. The first to hold both manors, Robert de Nottingham, resided at Bayford and dated several of his deeds "apud castellum suum de Bayford, apud Goodneston". From this it may be conjectured that the capital residence was at Bayford manor whilst the Goodmanston Manor House became derelict and the manor itself lost much of its separate identity. The association of Bayford Castle (presumably Goodmanston manor house site) with the date 893 would appear to stem from Camden and to have no basis in fact. (3-5) There is no trace of this manor-house, the area having been worked for brick-earth and later dumped on. (6) The Danish Castle, called "castle rough" (TQ 96 NW 10), remains at Kemsley downs, just by Milton church. Alfred threw up a fortification on the other side of the water, the ditches and some part of the stone-work of which remained, named Bavord Castle or Bayford, a manor near Sittingburn. (7) In 893 Hasten came up the Thames to Milton. There he made a stronghold to accommodate at least eighty ships. Castle Rough on Kemsley Downs is too small to have accommodated his men and there is no place for ships. Hasted (a) stated that Castle Rough on the west was built by Hasten, and another Castle Rough on the east of the creek was built by Alfred some time afterwards; for the last there is no evidence, for the first the evidence is contrary. (8) Bayford Castle, Sittingbourne; nothing remains of this "castle", and probably it was mainly a moat-defended enclosure. Bayford Court (TQ 96 SW 15) may have been identical with Bayford Castle, and we cannot but conclude that mystery attaches to the exact spot occupied by the castle. (9)(10)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1961
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1938-47
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 10
Source :
Source details : Castellaruim Anglicanum I 1983 236 (D J Cathcart King)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details : Manors of Bayford and Goodmanston 1590 (C Saxton)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : History of Kent 2 1788 611-12 (E Hasted)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : Gough's Camden 1 1789 234
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : F1 CFW 08-JUL-63
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : Gough's Camden's Brittania 1 2nd Edition 1806 340-341
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : Arch J 42 1885 293-294 (F C J Spurrell)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 8a
Source :
Source details : History of Kent 1 xxxix 2 616 (E Hasted)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details : VCH Kent 1 1908 433 (I Chalkley Gould)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Manor House
Evidence :

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TQ 96 SW 42
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1963-07-08
End Date : 1963-07-08

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 420180