Bury Mount

Bury Mount stands in Towcester, a town built on the Roman Watling Street. It is the remains of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle, a large earthen mound surrounded by a deep ditch. The mound once supported a timber tower and overlooked the junction of Watling Street with an old route from Southampton to Stamford. The site sits beside St Lawrence’s Church and the town hall, close to the market square. A short walk down Castle Lane leads from the main road to the mount. Other similar mottes can be seen at nearby towns like Northampton and Buckingham. The motte dates from the Great Anarchy of the 1130s, when England was split between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. It served as a symbol of power for the lord of the manor and a stronghold during times of conflict. By the 15th century it housed a small garrison, stables, kitchens and a well within its bailey. Excavations suggest the tower may have stood inside the mound rather than on top, a rare arrangement. In 1644 Royalist forces turned the mount into a gun platform during the Civil War before it became an orchard and later a cottage garden. Today the restored mound has a spiral path to the top with inscribed stones marking key moments in Towcester’s past. The surrounding area has been landscaped with new paths and plaques explaining the site’s history. Nearby buildings have been renovated as part of a wider regeneration scheme. From the summit there are views across the town and the River Tove. The mount remains a quiet reminder of Towcester’s long military and civic story.