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There is a lot to interest the archaeologist on this site.
- The site covers 4.35ha and appears to contain all the remains of the
medieval castle site.
- Three rows of outer ditches and platforms lie to the west and south, which
defended the outer and inner wards or baileys. An area of marsh lies along
the north edge of the site. Even today this area is often flooded and as
during the medieval period the site was probably bounded to the north and
east by marsh, it seems likely that this area formed part of the original
defences. There is a large outer bailey and the inner bailey consists of a
rectangular raised platform, enclosed by a curtain wall with the remains of
round towers at each corner and an additional tower, forming a gatehouse at
the northwest angle. The footings and lower courses of at least two
substantial buildings are preserved within the inner bailey. Although, the
curtain wall was reduced to its present height and much of the facing
removed in antiquity but most of the height and diameter of the east tower
of the inner gatehouse survives. A doorway or postern with a four centred
arch, leads from the former moat to a small chamber set in the thickness of
the wall on the east side of this tower.
- Much of the moat, surrounding the inner and part of the outer wards is
infilled, and now survives as a lower grassed area but stretches of the moat
survive as ponds along the eastern edge of the site. There are other
earthworks on the site which are not well understood. An oval flat-topped
mound, which may be the remains of an earlier motte or a prospect mount, lies to the west of the
inner ward. A smaller mound lies opposite the entrance to the inner bailey,
which may have supported a bridge to the inner gatehouse. It is possible
however that both mounds relate to landscaping works in the late eighteenth
century, when part of the site was apparently laid out as a fancy garden. A
rectangular depression at the north end of the western portion of the outer
bailey has been described as a fish pond, although the antiquity of this
feature is unknown.
- A stone bridge leads from Castle Street into the imposing outer gatehouse,
consisting of two D-shaped or horshoe towers, now infilled. Two further
towers lie to the north west of the outer gatehouse, linked by curtain wall.
The gatehouse, towers (save for the western tower) and curtain wall survive
to their full height, apparently having been restored in the 1950s. A three
bay timber framed cottage runs east west behind the north tower and an
extension was added to the south gatehouse tower in the nineteenth century.
A modern stone-faced lavatory block has been built between the west end of
the cottages the western round tower.
(Extract from W.S Atkins draft scoping study report commissioned by
Whittington Castle Preservation Trust)
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