STUDLAND CASTLE

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A castle is mentioned in 1381, and a battery was built between 1584 and 1586 at Handfast point and a blockhouse is mentioned in 1732. No trace remains of any of these features.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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The Foreland or Handfast Point (SZ 055825) is a high promontory shown on Ralph Treswell's map 1585-6 (see Hutchins p.580) as partly occupied by Studland Wood, and by an `enclosure' further inland called "Castell Leyes" (shown at circa SZ 047823). Coker in 1732 said of this place, "the land stretcheth forth a short promontory furnished with a blockhouse, for the more grace called Studland Castle". (1) Mills adds that a "castellum de Studlande, the Castle of Studland" is mentioned in 1381 (PiH Papers in BM). (1,2)

Handfast (Point) is probably derived from `rock' or `high stronghold' with reference to Studland Castle or an earlier fort here.

Battery or bulwark at Handfast Point. Between May 1584 and October 1586 a bulwark or battery was built at Handfast Point. A stone magazine was acquired and a new drawbridge called for. Of the battery, no trace remains. (3)

Listed as a vanished castle by Cathcart King. (4)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1a) General reference

Survey of Dorset 1732 (J Coker)

( 1) General reference

Hutchins Hist of Dorset 3rd Ed Vol 1 1861 580 (copy of Treswell's map), 647 (ed W Shipp)

( 2) English Place-Name Society : the survey of English place-names [county volumes]

(A D Mills) 1977 Page(s)44,46

( 3) by H M Colvin ... [et al] 1982 The history of the King's Works, volume 4 : 1485-1660 (Part 2)

1982 Page(s)469-70

( 4) 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)129

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