produced a map of Bedford in 1611, showing the motte and a fragment of bailey wall still standing on an otherwise vacant site. At the outbreak of the English Civil War, Bedford sided with Parliament; the town was temporarily captured by Prince Rupert of the Rhine in 1643 and the castle was refortified for the duration of the war. A probable wooden fort and prison were built on the remains of the motte and defended by a hundred-man garrison. After the war the motte became used as a bowling green until the 19th century. In 1804 the north-east tower of the castle was turned into a hexagonal building for the local militia unit. Bedford began to spread eastwards in the late 19th century and the castle baileys became desirable property for housing; in 1851 the last parts of the barbican were destroyed to make way for the construction of cottages. Modern period (20–21st centuries) Today only the base of the motte survives at Bedford Castle, 7.5 m (25 feet) high and 49 m (161 feet) wide at the top, and is a scheduled monument. Archaeological work has been conducted to develop a better understanding of the history of the castle, although excavations are difficult because of the urban nature of the site. Excavations between 1969 and 1972 established the broad form of the castle; this was supplemented by further work in 1995–6 and another phase of excavations in 2007. Following the 2007 investigations, an archaeological park was built on part of the castle site between 2007 and 2009, forming the centre of a mixed-use development of restaurants and apartments. The park incorporated one of the castle's lime kilns, first rediscovered in 1973, and the foundations of a hall discovered at the castle. In 2004 Bedford Borough Council commissioned artist Gary Drostle to create a mosaic map of Bedford depicting the castle and Bedford's medieval history in front of the castle mound. See also Castles in Great Britain and Ireland List of castles in England Notes References Bibliography Albion Archaeology. (2005) Extensive Urban Survey for Bedfordshire: Bedford Archaeological Assessment, Document 2001/42 Project 510. Bedford: Albion Archaeology. Amt, Emilie. (2002) "Besieging Bedford: Military Logistics in 1224," Journal of Medieval Military History 1, pp. 101–124. Baker, David. (1973) "Bedford Castle: Some Preliminary Results from Rescue Excavations," in Chateau Gaillard 6, pp. 15–21. Bradbury, Jim. (1992) The Medieval Siege. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell Press. .