This castle is the strongest of Norman types on Bedfordshire, and was constructed not only for defensive purposes in war, but as the seat of a lord in peace time, who would rule the countryside with an iron hand. It presents a gloomy and sinister aspect, as if within its confines many tragedies had been enacted. From this point of view I am glad to say it is the only one which conveys this impression in the county. It is situated chiefly at the base of rising ground, though the extreme end of the outer bailey is well above the level of the inner bailey. It consists of a particularly large and sharply scarped mound or keep, the crown of which is now in two distinct levels, caused no doubt by the earth slipping, and where a permanent structure was erected.In this I can imagine any of those who incurred the lord’s displeasure would await their death as a happy release from their sufferings.

Unfortunately, the mound has largely lost its original shape, owing to the earth slipping, and mutilation by spade work of those who have in the past endeavoured to probe its construction.

Attached to the mound on its western side, is a large bailey, protected on the North, South and East faces with strong earth ramparts, having steep scarps to the moat. The remainder, that is to say, the Western face, was protected by a curtain or parapet wall, remains of which were discovered in 1882.

Ion the ramparts of this bailey are to be found at least three points of interest. On the South-East (a) and oval-shaped depression intended as a cistern for water, close to which is (b) a circular depression, no doubt the well for water supply. More central in the bailey the ground is levelled flat, as if a building had been erected thereon, while on the North-West end there is clearly an opening in the rampart, so doubt for an entrance.

The whole of this section is surrounded by a water moat, which is increased to a small lake on the West. In the centre of the lake towards the South end is an island which I think we can safely conclude was a barbican, which afforded the main access to the castle from without.

To the North of the mound is the outer bailey, conspicuous for its strongly-constructed scarps and earth ramparts, the fosses to which must have been dry, as they follow the ground, and die at one point into the inner fosse with quite a sharp dip. In this outer bailey there are also many noticeable points of interest. There is at (a) the water cistern or possibly a fish-pond, this time dependent on the slopes of the inner rampart, to catch the rainfall, a far bigger affair than the one in the inner bailey; (b) the platform for a small tower; (c) the abutels for the bridge connecting the outer with the inner bailey; and (d) a raised platform whereon I think there were probably buildings either for men or stabling for horses.

I must confess I am at a loss to account how the angle of this outer bailey terminated. I can only suggest either that the outer bailey has been much mutilated at this point, or that there being no necessity to have enclosing banks to retain the water of the fosse at this point, they relied on the mud and marshy nature of the ground for their defence.

Finally, one must note the number of enclosures along the eastern face, four to be precise, for the banks intersecting the main one opposite the mound are of no importance. These I take to be of an entirely domestic nature. The large one opposite the mound was probably the lord’s pleasaunce, the space between the two small banks I think are the formations of a roadway, as they lead straight to a circular depression, indictaing the foundations of a private causeway leading to the mound. The other enclosures were for the housing of the men-at-arms not on guard, the retainers and servitors, and the fourth for spare horses or cattle. The castle is bounded on the North by a public road, and on the West by a public road and a stream called the Til.