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  Over the last seventy years there have been
a number of changes to the area in and around
the castle remains, mostly connected with
activities associated with the adjoining
Castle Farm. For example, Claude Horwood
who was a Secretary at the Castle, recounts
that "until the end of the Second World War,
the moat around the Castle was almost complete.
Mr Phillip G Dunn filled in the moat in front
of the house, and planted an orchard." The latter is still extant. The account and plan, shown immediately below, are extracted from An Inventory of Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire Vol II published by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments in 1913. This therefore provides us with a plan of the Castle remains before many of the more modern changes took place. Following on from this is an extract from Oliver Ratcliff's History and Antiquities of the Newport Pagnell Hundreds published in 1900 which gives some insight into early finds and remains associated with the site. Note: The Castle Earthworks mostly occupy private land. However, limited views are possible from a sign-posted public footpath that leaves the north-eastern side of Castle Road and crosses a field in front of Castle Farm House where remnants of the former moats can be identified. The public footpath continues and skirts the eastern edge of the bailey and moat shown in the picture, above right. To see a satellite view of the Castle click here. 
LAVENDON CASTLE (mount and bailey), about 700 yards N. of the church, stands on nearly level ground about 200 ft. above O.D.
The work is especially interesting, as the original plan is almost complete.
The castle consists of a mount, with traces
of its encircling ditch, and three attached
baileys. The mount, now occupied by a farmhouse
and outbuildings, has never been apparently
of any great height and now measures about
350 by 250 ft. at the base; the ditch is
indicated by two ponds, one on the S.E. side,
the other on the N.W. The N.E. bailey, with its defences, covers
about 4¾ acres; it was evidently the
main court, and the defences are much stronger
than those of the other baileys; they consist
of a wide rampart 7 ft. above the interior
level and 14½ ft. above the bottom
of the ditch, which is 57 ft. wide and is
wet at the S. corner. There are two well
defined entrances, one on the S.E. side;
the other leads into the N.W. bailey, and
is probably original. The N.W. bailey covers about five acres and is defended by a rampart 5½ ft. high at the best sections, and a ditch 34 ft. wide. There are gaps in the rampart on the N.W. and S.W. sides, and on the N.E. the defences are incorporated in a field boundary. The S.W. bailey, covering about 1⅔ acres, is defended by a rampart and ditch similar to those of the N.W. bailey.
Condition - Well preserved, although the defences are somewhat denuded in places. From the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments,
published 1913: Lavendon Castle is thought to have been in existence since before 1232
when it is known that the Abbot of Lavendon
was required to provide a chaplain to officiate
in the Chapel of St Mary within the Castle.
Unfortunately there is now little to see
other than the significant earth embankments
enclosing three baileys, and also remnants
of a former moat.   Exterior of the embankment that encloses
the north-western bailey of Lavendon Castle. Remnants of the moat and the embankment (left)
enclosing the south-eastern bailey of Lavendon
Castle. The Castle The family of Bidun of Lavendon Castle, bore for their arms, Chequé Arg. And Gu. On a fess Az. Three round buckles Or. Of this stronghold there is nothing left except the very extensive moat which is almost perfect. The ground surrounded by the moat is where the castle stood, and has, since its demolition, been levelled and is known as “Denton’s Hollow.” This lies to the east of the farm house known as the “Castle Farm.” This residence, too, is surrounded by a smaller moat or earth work which may have been thrown up in those turbulent times. To the north of this smaller moat is one of like dimensions. Whether these two of less importance were constructed to contain water for the safe-guarding of the crops and cattle or for the use of those who defended the castle is not known. For whatever purpose they were required, they must have incurred a vast amount of labour in construction. The only relic remaining of the Bidun’s here is their fish pond at the rear of the farm house which was found to be partly paved when the present tenant, Mr Alfred Billing, had it cleaned out one very dry summer late in the 90’s. Since then there has been no carp in the water, but formerly that fish was found in great abundance here. In a field near the house a brass seal of the XIVth Century was discovered, showing the head of Christ and the inscription: NON SWILK AS I. (Not such as I); also various coins and counters. Foundations of great size are often discovered in all directions from the principal portion and dressed stones in considerable quantities are continually unearthed. It appears by an ancient institution to the Vicarage of Lavendon, now in the Registry of the Bishop of Lincoln, that the Castle was standing in the year 1232, since it is stated in the record of the institution, that the Abbot of Lavendon was bound to provide a chaplain, to officiate in the Chapel of St Mary, in Lavendon Castle. The following is an extract from The History and Antiquities of the Newport Hundreds by Oliver Ratcliff, written in 1900: | ||
