Earl John, later King John, made a park at Kingshaugh and a manor is noted there in 17 Edward II. (3)
A system of earthworks embracing an area of c 7 acres. The inner work is a broad ditch which originally appears to have enclosed an irregular circle, the extant half being on the E. On the same side is an outer vallum and ditch, the latter broadening and again narrowing towards the entrance, the widest part containing a mound for the additional defence of the narrow passage by which access was gained to the interior. (4)
A chapel is mentioned here in 1215. (5)
The name "Kingshage" occurs in 1195. (6)
The E portion of a moated site surrounding the C17 Kingshaugh House, which tradition places on the site of a hunting lodge founded by King John. The site consisted of an irregular circular area contained in the elbow of a small stream (quotes VCH). House and farm buildings to be excluded from area. (7)
Fragmentary remains of a rectangular ringwork with an outer enclosure; used as a castle in 1193-4. (9)
The earthworks comprise a sub-circular moated enclosure, wide, deep but dry to the S and E, whilst to the N and W where a stream flows the Med banks have all but gone. On the SW an isolated stretch of ditch had been filled by 1962 and the pond at its E end has now also gone. Some soil dumping has taken place on the SSE of the island. Flanking the S side of the moat are the possible remains of a mill race which turns sharply N and merges with the stream on the E. The moat is similar in size and shape to 2 other local features, at Jordan Castle and Hodsock Priory. A thick wall within the house is said to be part of the chapel but there is no evidence to support it. (10)
In the 1950s Retford Co-op and built a track, grain store and other farm buildings on the scheduled area to the W of the C17 house, filling in the W portion of the moat (see AM107 for details of damage). (11)
Various excavations during renovation of house - see site file. (12)
Morph: 158.4.1 ringwork, 158.4.2 ditch, 158.4.3 ditch, 158.5.1 ditch. (14)
See M11447 for C17 house.
See L8720 for finds, L4650, L5758-60 for adjacent finds.

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

Drawings, map tank

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

Site file, plan chest

Data Held: Aerial Photograph (Aerial photograph). SNT2645.

CCL 166/0497/3

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

Site file, plan chest

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

9 colour prints, 1990

<1> Pipe Rolls, NS 26,13 John, p 88 (Unpublished document). SNT284.

<2> Pipe Rolls, NS 35, 16 John, p 156 (Unpublished document). SNT285.

<3> Throsby J, 1796, Thoroton's History of Notts Vol 3, p 233 (Published document). SNT1347.

<4> VCH, 1906, Notts, p 301 (Published document). SNT1383.

<5> Thoroton Society, 1922, TTS, pp 99-104 (Published document). SNT347.

<6> Gover, Mawer & Stenton, 1940, Place Names of Nottinghamshire, p 46 (Published document). SNT670.

<7> DOE, AM7 - undated, no author (Unpublished document). SNT52.

<8> Seaman BH, 1962, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1245.

<9> Renn D, 1973, Norman Castles of Britain - 2nd edition, p 218 (Published document). SNT1185.

<10> Seaman BH, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1252.

<11> Dodd A, 1988, AM107 (Unpublished document). SNT620.

<12> NCC Archaeology Team, Site Book 5, pp 35-85 (Unpublished document). SNT311.

<13> Riley DN, Air photos (Aerial photograph). SNT1194.

Other Refs: 1646/9 (NLAP SK 7673/2)

<14> RCHME, National Mapping Programme, Notts - Morph Data (Unknown). SNT1470.