NOTTINGHAM CASTLE

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Medieval motte and bailey castle. Built in 1068, excavations indicate that it was strengthed with a curtain wall 1184-7 and that a round tower was constructed circa 1250. It became one of the four principal English castles, and the main castle in the North Midlands. Extensive restoration was carried out from 1560-70 but it fell into disrepair during the reign of James 1 (1603-25). In 1651 all fortifications were demolished bar the gatehouse and the base of Edward IVs tower, and the site was cleared in 1674. A mansion was built on the site and is now used as a museum and art gallery. It is believed to be on the site of a possible Iron Age promontory fort. Scheduled.

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(SK 56903945) Nottingham Castle (NR). (1)

In 1068 William I built a motte and bailey (at SK 569-394) on a
promontory with a precipitous south face. A stone castle (centred at SK 569395). Strengthening the earlier work was commenced in the early 12th century and completed with the walling of the outer bailey, circa 1186. Owing to its ruinous condition extensive restoration was carried out from 1560-1570. During the reign of James I (1603-1625) the castle again fell into ruins, some of the buildings being dismantled and sold. A plan by Smithson shows the keep and inner bailey as it was in 1617 (see plan). In 1651, after the Civil War, all the fortifications were demolished.
The site was completely cleared of its ruins in 1674 and a mansion built (at SK 56913944), which is now used as a Museum and Art Gallery.

General opinion that the perimeter ditch to the castle area (see plan) is pre-Conquest, and the sub-dividing ditches post-Conquest, is unsupported by evidence. (2)

Motte and bailey built 1068; rebuilt (no date); outer bailey added
1212-3. (3)

A much restored 14th century gateway, (SK 56953958 - `A' on plan), is all that remains of the medieval castle. The later mansion was fired in the Reform Bill Riots of 1831, restored and converted into a Museum in 1875-8.

Mortimer's Hole (SK 56943941 - `C' on plan) is a rock passage traditionally connected with Roger Mortimer's capture in 1330. (4)

On 22nd August, 1642, Charles I raised his standard on open rising ground behind the northern outer wall, now known as Standard Hill (SK 568396). (The General Hospital buildings now occupy Standard Hill - `B', on the map, can only be conjectural). (5)

Possibly Promontory fort. (6)

Remains of the castle are confined to the immediate area and gardens about the present museum, bounded on the north by the modern Lenton Road which cuts off the old north enclosure. Considerable landscaping has taken place within the gardens and only small fragments of early masonry survive and these have been assimilated into the modern walls and heavily restored.
Whilst no identifiable traces of a promontory fort could be seen the topographical situation is ideal, having a cliff on its south and west sides and strong slopes on the east. (7)

Nottingham Castle. Excavations of the north defences of the Middle Bailey were completed in 1979. The earliest defence was a rampart of sand and sandstone rubble extending 40.0 metres east-west, 9.70 metres wide and 4.0 metres high. Identified with the Norman defences of 1068, it was strengthened in 1184-7 by a stone curtain wall. About 1250, a round tower was constructed at the north-west corner of the bailey cutting through the rampart, and a hexagonal tower with a rectangular northern extension was added to the north-east corner in the late 15th century. (8)

The Castle (Museum and Art Gallery). Late C17. Burnt and reconstructed in C19.

Castle Gateway. Retains some part of C14 masonry, restored in early C20.

Enclosing Walls at The Castle. Mediaeval, late C17 and later. Partly rock - cut and largely retaining walls.

Pair of Gate Piers at The Castle. Late C17; stone. Now standing in isolation and partly buried.

Pair of gatepiers at The Castle. Late C17/early C18. Stone with rusticated pilasters, cornice and urns. (9)

SK 569 395. Nottingham Castle. Scheduled no. NT/175. (10)

History, account of excavations, full report.
From its construction in 1067-8, Nottingham Castle was one of the most important English castles, both as a military stronghold and as a royal palace. It controlled Trent Bridge, a major crossing point of the river, and was the base of the king's power in the Midlands. Although most English royal urban castles declined in the 13th century, Nottingham was supported from the royal coffers.

The Mediaeval castle consisted of 4 distinct baileys, the Upper, Middle, Outer and Northern. The earliest castle consisted of a motte, Upper and Middle baileys, and a single large outer enclosure which later became the Outer and Northern baileys. In Henry II's reign, a curtain wall was constructed, a Great Hall built in stone in the Middle bailey, and a keep built in the Upper bailey. The outer enclosure was subdivided in King John's reign, however, it was not replaced by a stone wall until Henry III's reign, complete with mural towers and gatehouse.

The excavations between 1976-84 recovered evidence of the northern defences of the Middle bailey dating from the 11th century rampart throught the 12th century curtain wall to the 13th and 15th century towers. Elsewhere in the Middle bailey, excavation located the middle bridge, eastern bailey defences, domestic buildings, and mid-13th century outer gate. (11)

Survey of gatehouse. (12)

Listed by Cathcart King. (13)

As the most important castle in the Midlands, and one of the four principle castles of England, Nottingham Castle was always in Royal hands. Rebuilt in stone and enlarged under Henry II, it was repaired and maintained in good order by successive Kings. It remained the principal royal fortress in the North Midlands, but was not adapted to changes in warfare in the period. A survey of 1607 shows that many of the buildings, including the great hall, had been demolished, and when Charles I arrived in Nottingham in 1642, it was decayed and militarily obsolete. In 1651 the Council of State ordered its demolition, which was complete but for the gatehouse and the base of Edward IV's tower. (14,15)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1920

( 2) Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire annual report

(F W C Gregory) 48 - 1944 Page(s)1-31

( 3) D F Renn 1968 Norman Castles in Britain

1968 Page(s)262

( 4) by Nikolaus Pevsner ; revised by Elizabeth Williamson 1979 Nottinghamshire

The buildings of England 1951 Page(s)130-1

( 5) General reference

Hist of Notts 1947 174 (A C Wood)

( 6) edited by William Page 1906 The Victoria history of the county of Nottingham: volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England (W Stevenson) 1906 Page(s)291-3

( 7) Field Investigators Comments

F1 BHS 14-MAR-75

( 8) General reference

CBA N/L 3/9 Jan/Feb 1980 136 (C J Drage)

( 9) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE(HHR)Nottingham, Notts, JUly 1972, 15

(10) Scheduled Monument Notification

English Heritage, SAM List, Nottinghamshire, March 1994, p 13

(11) Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire

Entire volume 93, 1989

(12) Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire

85, 1981 Page(s)48-55

(13) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

Page(s)380,382

(14) R Allen Brown, H M Colvin and A J Taylor 1963 The history of the King's Works, volume 2 : the Middle Ages

Page(s)755-65

(15) by H M Colvin, D R Ransome and John Summerson 1975 The history of the King's Works, volume 3 : 1485-1660 (part 1)

Page(s)283-6

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