HADLEIGH CASTLE

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The buried, earthwork and ruined remains of a substantial enclosure castle. Built by Hubert de Burgh sometime between 1215 and 1239 when it was seized by the crown. It spent some time in royal hands and was redeveloped in the 1360s by Edward III. It was sold off in 1551 and much of the fabric was systematically demolished for building materials. Much remained standing until the early years of the 20th century however when the southern curtain collapsed. It is possible that there were gardens on the south side of the castle from early in its history.

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(TQ81008605) Hadleigh Castle (NR) (1)

The castle which is in the form of an irregular polygon stands on a spur overlooking the Thames. Hugh de Burgh was given licence to crenellate in 1231, it was siezed by Henry III in 1232 and completely reconstructed by Richard III about 1365. (7). A landslip has left the remains of the south wall out of position and the remainder of the castle is very ruinous. The parch marks which appear on the air photographs (5) were excavated by P.L. Drewett for the D.O.E. in 1971-3 and identified as the foundations a small hall, solar, and kitchens (3) (4). Roman brick is built into the castle (6). Investigated 1953 (8). (2-8)

Description and photograph of Hadleigh Castle. (9)

Medieval pot quern described and illustrated. (10)

Notes on excavations at Hadleigh Castle. (11)

Topographic survey of the castle earthworks combined with an analysis of the landscape context and new historical research was undertaken in January 2009. This, combined with new historical research has led to a reappraisal of the castle's development. The castle could have been constructed at any time between 1215 when Hubert de Burgh acquired the estate and 1239 when it was seized by the crown. Its original form was probably an octagon elongated east-west with square angle towers and a barbican at the east end. The semicurcular north and south towers are of a second phase but may have been Hubert's work as they parallel another of his castles. The castle was clearly designed to be approached along the ridge to the east, presumably from the wharf/mill below the castle (see associated record). Hadleigh Castle was neglected for much of the rest of the 13th century but royal interest appears to have revived under Edward II who asigned it to the royal chamber by 1316 and spent considerable sums on it. Under Edward III it again appears to have been neglected but during the 1360s he undertook an major programme of construction completely altering the layout of the castle and redesigning the approaches. The topographic survey identified varuious terraces thouight to be the remains of gardens on the south side of the castle, below the new royal appartments. It is possible though that these gardens can be identified with the vinyard recorded in 1274/5 and since this was a period of neglect it seems possible that the gardens could date from the earliest period of the castle's existence. (14)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1932/8 Prov Ed

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1923 An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Volume IV [south-east]

Plan and photos Page(s)63-66

( 3) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

16, 1972 Page(s)179-181

( 4) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

17, 1973 Page(s)161-2

( 5) Aerial photograph

St Joseph CR 1081-2

( 6) Annotated Record Map

Corr 6" (Major J G S Brinson 1950)

( 7) 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)659-666

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F1 AC 24-APR-53

( 9) by Colin Platt 1984 Medieval Britain from the air

Page(s)184-5

(10) Essex Archaeological Society transactions

15, 1983 Page(s)175-176

(11) Essex Archaeological Society transactions

48, 1974 Page(s)7

(12) Scheduled Monument Notification

20-MAR-1997

(13) English Heritage 1998 The English Heritage visitors' handbook 1998-99

Page(s)115

(14) Magnus Alexander and Susan Westlake 2009 Hadleigh Castle, Essex: earthwork analysis, survey report

Research Department Report Series 32-2009 copy held at NMRC Page(s)73

RELATED MONUMENTS

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Monument Name/No

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MONUMENT NO. 1505834
HADLEIGH

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Site of medieval mill and wharf associated with Hadleigh Castle.

MONUMENT NO. 1505841
HADLEIGH

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Site of dam and probable fishpond to the north of Hadleigh Castle.

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