 Variant spellings include "Bykeleswad" in 1396, "Bykleswade" in 15th-century law records, and "Bickleswade" on a 17th-century ivory seal now in the British Museum.Wells and pits dating from the early 7th century and a quantity of later Maxey ware have been excavated at Stratton.Evidence of an Anglo-Saxon ringwork and bailey castle was discovered by aerial photography in 1954 between the A1 road and the River Ivel.