Beaumont Castle was constructed in the village of Mixbury, Oxfordshire, after the Norman conquest of 1066, probably by Roger d’Ivry. Comprising two baileys and possibly a barbican, it was abandoned in the 13th century and only earthworks now survive.
History
Beaumont Castle was probably built by the Norman lord Roger d’Ivry, following the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Roger had been granted various lands in Oxfordshire, including the manor of Mixbury, a reasonably large and valuable Anglo-Saxon settlement, probably formed the caput, or administrative centre, of his estates. The name of the castle probably comes from the ground to the north of it falling away to the stream.
The castle was formed around two baileys. The outer bailey to the south was approximately 95 m by 55 m (312 ft by 180 ft) at its greatest extent, protected by a ditch and bank, now 3.6 m deep and 1.5m (12 ft by 5 ft) high respectively. The castle was entered from the western side of the outer bailey, where there may have been another defensive earthwork, possibly a barbican. The inner and outer baileys were linked by a causeway.
The inner bailey was approximately 95 m by 105 m (312 ft by 344 ft) across, protected by a ditch and bank, now 3 m deep and 1 m (9.8 ft by 3 ft 3 in) high. There was probably a raised earthwork mound in the north-west corner of the inner bailey, around 9 m (30 ft) across on top and 2.7 m (9 ft) high, which may have supported a hall or a tower.
Roger died around 1120 and the manor may have been owned by Ralph Basset, the royal justiciar, for a period, before passing into the St Valery family. The St Valerys appear to have continue using the castle, occasionally staying there. The manor was given to Oseney Abbey in 1213, although the St Valery’s remained the feudal overlord. The St Valerys’ rights were eventually subsumed by the Duchy of Cornwall. Probably at some point in this process, the castle was abandoned.
In the 1950s, amateur digging took place on the north-west mound, uncovering the remains of what was probably a well. In the late 1960s, the mound was destroyed and almost no trace now survives. The castle is protected under UK law as a Scheduled Monument.
Bibliography
- Lobel, Mary D. (ed) (1959) A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 6. Vitoria County History: London, UK.
- Steane, J. (1979) “Beaumont Castle, Mixbury,” South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter, Volume 9, p. 83.
Attribution
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