Beancroft Manor

Beancroft (or Bayncroft) Manor appears only rarely in the written record. It is mentioned in 1547 [Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, volume 32), and again in 1631 and 1651 when it was in the possession of William Gostwick, the younger son of Sir William Gostwick who had held lands in Marston Moretaine in 1595.  

The site of Beancroft Manor is marked by the remains of a rectangular waterfilled medieval moat, of which three sides survive. The moat appears intact on an 1837 map, but at some point after this date the south-west side was replaced by farm buildings. The moated area measures around 90 metres by 70 metres, and the ditch is 10 metres wide. The present day Beancroft Farm lies outside the moat to the south-west. Medieval building debris, glass and clay pipe stems found in the north-west corner of the island indicate the probable site of the manor house. 

There is no evidence that Beancroft was ever a true manor holding its own court, and there are no records listed for Beancroft in The National Archives’ manorial documents register.