CORFE CASTLE

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The earliest visible features comprise the late 11th century fragments of a hall in the west bailey and the wall surrounding the inner ward. The ashlar built keep is dated to circa 1105 and the 'Gloriette' is an early 13th century courtyard mansion with 15th century addition which was built to supplement or replace accomadation in the keep. The enciente retains a defensive system of walls and murial towers mainly of the early and late 13th century. During the Civil War the castle was besieged and slighted. Foundations of a possible pre Conquest building revealed in excavation in the west bailey possibly represents either a 'hospitium' belonging to Shaftesbury Abbey or a royal palace or residence associated with King Edward who was murdered at 'Corfegeat' in 978. This is a Scheduled Monument.

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(SY 959823) Corfe Castle (NR) (Remains of) (1)

Corfe Castle, of strategic and military importance was built on a large natural mound overlooking the gap in the Purbeck Hills. (2)

The foundations of a possible pre-Conquest building were revealed during excavations in the west bailey, 1950-52, and possibly represent either a 'hospitium' belonging to Shaftesbury Abbey or a royal residence associated with King Edward, who was murdered at 'Corfegeat' in 978 AD. (3). The earliest visible features of the castle, however, comprise late 11th century fragments of a hall in the west bailey and the wall surrounding the inner ward. The ashlar-built keep is dated to circa 1105 AD and the 'Gloriette' is an early 13th century courtyard mansion with 15th century addition, which was built to supplement or replace accomodation in the keep.

The enciente (outer bailey) retains a defensive system of walls and mural towers mainly of the early and late 13th century. During the Civil War the castle was besieged and slighted. Grade 1. Plan (2).

(For full descriptive account of the castle remains and earthworks see RCHM). (3)

A brief account of the castle (4) and concise architectural report (5).

Corfe Castle. Ruins of former royal castle, built on a natural hilltop in a gap in the main Purbeck range. Late C11 origin - possibly on an earlier pre-Conquest site, altered and enlarged in C12, C13 and C14. The Keep refurbished as a house in mid-C16 and the whole structure slighted and largely demolished after the Civil War. The fortified enclosure roughly triangular in plan. The curtain walls survive in part, with the bases of semi-circular towers. Surviving walls part ashlar, part rough ashlar, part rubble. Outer Gatehouse, at south end, approached by a 4-arch stone bridge over the now dry moat. Gatehouse consists of a segmental archway flanked by bases of 2 circular towers, linked to curtain wall. Inner, south-west Gatehouse, south of the surviving structures, consists of 2 circular towers flanking a pointed segmental archway. On the left, this has dropped several feet following undermining after the Civil Wr. At north-west of the site, the remains of the Old Hall, late C11. Lower walls of this survive, with some herringbone masonry and part blocked round arched openings. At west end, remains of the Butavant Tower, early C13. Near the centre, the Keep, C12, square on plan, originally 3-storeyed - an extra storey inserted in C13. Altered in mid-C16 by Sir Christopher Hatton, - remains of Tudor windows and fireplaces survive. North of the Keep, large blocks of fallen masonry. West of the Keep, the Gloriette, a C13 first-floor hall house, with Hall and Solar over an originally vaulted undercroft. Several lancet windows survive, with deep roll mouldings. In spite of much destruction, still an impressive structure, dominating the village. A National Trust property. - Grade I (6,7)

Listed by Cathcart King. (8)

Additional reference. (9)

Corfe was a major royal castle, not necessarily for its strategic value, but more for its convenience as a stronghold for the safe custody of political prisoners, important hostages and royal treasure. Detailed account of the history of the castle as a royal stronghold. (10)

There is a bastion-like structure salient from the south front of the shell wall. (11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" 1960

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1970 An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset. Volume two : south-east [in three parts]

Page(s)57-78

( 3) by K J Penn 1980 Historic towns in Dorset

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society monograph seriesNo.1 (1982) - no.1 Page(s)44-45

(4) Royal Archaeological Institute The archaeological journal

(Morley BM) 140: 1983 Page(s)54-8

(5) General reference

Clark GT 1884. Military Architecture in England. London: Wyman and Sons 461-73

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

Purbeck District, Dorset Mar-1986 Page(s)47

(7) by John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner 1972 Dorset

The buildings of England Page(s)161-6

( 8) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

1 Page(s)126-7

( 9) by Tom McNeill 1992 English Heritage book of castles

Page(s)48,51,53,126

(10) 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)616-624

(11) Fortress Study Group Fort : the international journal of fortification and military architecture

15, 1987 Page(s)55

(11A) Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club

73, 1951 Page(s)76

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