page_title: Alderton, Northamptonshire
section_title: The Mount
hierarchical_section_title: Alderton, Northamptonshire / Historic buildings and structures / The Mount
caption_attribution_description: English: Church at Alderton, Northamptonshire
context_page_description: Alderton is a small English village and civil parish about 9 miles south of Northampton, and 10 miles north of Milton Keynes, along a road between the A5 and A508 main roads in the southwest and northeast respectively. The nearest large town is Towcester, about 3 miles north. The village is famous for the remains of an English Heritage Scheduled Ancient Monument, a Norman Castle, known locally as "The Mount", which was the subject of an investigation by the Channel 4 programme Time Team.
context_section_description: This is the remains of a ringwork castle which is now overgrown with trees. The earthworks are still in a good state of preservation and comprise an area of about 2 acres (8,100 m²). The ditch is 5 metres deep in parts and still fully accessible. The internal area of the castle has some slightly raised areas interpreted as building platforms.
  The castle and Manor of Alderton were sold by Thomas le Sauvage to Pagan de Chaworth during the reign of Edward I. During the first English Civil War there were a number of engagements in the vicinity, most notably the siege and eventual destruction of Grafton Manor House in 1644. Parliamentarian forces involved in this action passed through Alderton. There is little evidence of any significant use of the castle at this time, however. Some civil war musket balls have been discovered but may be associated with musket practice. Certainly it is documented that during the 18th century the site was used as a gentlemen's rifling range.
  During the Victorian era the castle appears to have been a popular picnic spot, judging by the recent porcelain and glass finds. This use as a village amenity has continued to the present day. In 1998 Derek Batten, a resident of the neighbouring village of Paulerspury and former County Councillor, purchased the castle site.
caption: Alderton Church of St Margaret
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