Bassingbourne: John of Gaunt’s House: Bassinburn: Castle Manor

• Bassingbourne, Cambridgeshire.
• Scheduled Monument.
• Monument Number 368554
• OSGB – TL 32533 45185

Castle, fortified manor house, double moated enclosure. Earthworks ploughed out.

Sub-rectangular island measuring 400ft by 300ft with a causewayed entrance to the south, a rectangular mound to the north of the site measuring 200ft by 90ft and the moat measuring approximately 30ft wide.

 The outer bailey measured 394ft by 295ft and had been enlarged at some time and surrounded by a wet moat. Within the bailey was an inner moat surrounding the motte measuring approximately 32.8ft wide and spanned by a bridge. The motte stood approximately 9.8ft high.

1170’s                         Held by Warin de Bassingbourne (1).

1170-1177                   Warin de Bassingbourne was joint Sheriff of Cambridgeshire.

1192                            Warin de Bassingbourne died and was succeeded by his son Winmar (Wihomere).

1218                            Winmar died and his son, Warin de Bassingbourne (2), inherited. 

1229                            Warin (2) died and his son, Warin (3), a minor, inherited.

1248                            Warin de Bassingbourne (3) came of age.

1266                            22^nd October: Licence to crenellate granted to Warin de Bassingbourn as a reward for his services to Edward, his Lord.

1268/9                         Warin de Bassingbourne (3) died and his son, Edmund, inherited.

1275                            Edmund de Bassingbourne is recorded as holding the Manor.

1293                            Just after: Edmund de Bassingbourne died and his son, Warin de Bassingbourne (4), inherited.

1316                            Warin de Bassingbourne (4) was knighted.

1334                            Warin de Bassingbourne (4) was possibly murdered and was succeeded by his son, Warin de Bassingbourne (5).

1344                            Warin de Bassingbourne (5) held the manor and was recorded as

                                    Sir Warin Bassingbourne of the Castle.

1350                            Onwards: Called ‘The Castle’.

1359                            Sir Warin Bassingbourne of the Castle died and his wife, Margaret held the manor.

1378                            Warin’s son, John, settled at the manor which had been held by Margaret.

1388                            John Bassingbourne took possession of the manor.

1420                            John Bassingbourne died without issue

1428                            Owned by John, Lord Tiptoft.

1443                            John, Lord Tiptoft died and his son, John, inherited.

1470                            John was executed and it passed to his son, Edward.

1485                            Edward died without issue and the lands were divided between his aunts, Philippa, Lady Roos, and Joan, widow of Sir Edmund Ingoldisthorpe.

1488                            Joan sold her share to Richard Lynne and Philippa sold her share to John Warde.

1524                            Before: Sir Thomas Lovell, Philippa’s son-in-law recovered her share and gave it to Edward Lovell, his nephew, for life, and then to his older brother, Francis.

1552                            Francis died and his son, Sir Thomas Lovell, sold it to Philip Lynne, Richard Lynne’s grandson.

1557                            Philip Lynne died without issue and his brother, John, inherited.

1613                            John died and was succeeded by his son, Henry.

1621                            Henry sold it to Sir Giles Alington.

1631                            Held by Sir Giles Alington.

1635                            Sir Giles Alington sold it to Sir Thomas Hatton.

1807                            The stone foundations of the bridge that spanned the inner moat survived.

1887                            Before: Mound measured 10-12ft high.

1887                            Earthworks still remained, but were later mostly leveled.

1887                            Late: Remains of building removed and moat filled in.

19 C                            Called ‘John of Gaunt’s House’.       

1972                            Field Investigation.

1981                            Field Investigation.

2001-2002                   Aerial Photograph by English Heritage.