Bedford Castle Mound — Attraction in England

Bedford Castle was a large medieval castle in Bedford, England. Built after 1100 by Henry I, the castle played a prominent part in both the civil war of the Anarchy and the First Barons' War. The castle was significantly extended in stone, although the final plan of the castle remains uncertain. Henry III of England besieged the castle in 1224 following a disagreement with Falkes de Breauté; the siege lasted eight weeks and involved an army of as many as 2,700 soldiers with equipment drawn from across England. After the surrender of the castle, the king ordered its destruction (slighting).Although partially refortified in the 17th century during the English Civil War, the castle remained a ruin until the urban expansion in Bedford during the 19th century, when houses were built across much of the property. Today only part of the motte still stands, forming part of an archaeological park built on the site between 2007 and 2009. Early history (1100–1153)Edit

Bedford Castle was probably built after 1100 by Henry I in the town of Bedford, overlooking the River Great Ouse. The castle was constructed inside the town itself, and many of the older Anglo-Saxon streets had to be destroyed and diverted to make room for it, leaving a permanent mark in the formal grid system.[1] The castle was built in a motte and bailey design and was probably much smaller than the later castle, just consisting of the motte and the...

My favourite thing about this "green eye" near the high street bridge is the ring of inscribed paving stones in the grass, which both mark the circumference of the inner castle walls, and tell the story of how the castle was besieged and taken. The wooden shelter overlooking the mosaic of medieval Bedford and the river has some excellent information about the castle and its fall, imaginatively presented on metal embossed plates. It's a pity that these are a bit worse for wear. Well worth climbing the gentle ramp to check it out, or even scrambling up the side of the mound if it's...

Why is it a mound? The plaques tell you why. There was a siege, I won't say more or you may not see the point of going up it. The area around it has cute feudal-style facilities, like castle-themed bins. Sincerely, I found this interesting, lots of information about the history of Bedford at the edge of Danelaw. It's secluded and tends to be the hang out of weed smokers and drunks, so best visit in daylight hours. It's next to the embankment to watch the swans going...