Hadleigh Castle (The Gatehouse Record)

Description

Ruins of castle rebuilt by Edward III mid-Late C14 on the site of a castle built by Hubert de Burgh early C13 (licensed 1230). Reigate stone, ragstone some rubble and tiles, much cockle shell in mortar. Built on a spur overlooking the Thames estuary most of the southern features have slipped to a lower level. Only the foundations or bases of the curtain wall remain between the 8 towers, most of which are low in height. The 3 western towers of square plan, the others circular. To the south and east of the north west square and circular high towers are foundations of kitchen buildings, a hall and solar and a C16 lead melting hearth. The Barbican adjoins the 3 storey High Tower to the west. Low level north tower. The north east tower outer walls are of 3 storeys, with plinth and band of panelled stone and knapped flint over, 2 small square headed windows to ground and first floors and part of a similar window to upper storey, part of a flue to inner wall. South east tower of 3 storeys, with only the western face demolished. Plinth. Knapped flint band over. Each floor with 3 square headed variously spaced windows visible externally. Holes for bars visible. Various putlog holes. Within the south west wall is a garderobe, with chutes discharging externally onto the plinth through 3 square headed openings with sloped cills. 2 flues to north. The south side of the bailey has slipped downhill, but remains of the south and south west towers can be identified. Wall bases of former residential buildings lie between these 2 towers. Low level remains of west tower. The castle is of exceptional interest, being the only work of its type in the country. There is documentary evidence of the progress of the work in 1365-6. (Listed building report)

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1230 Nov 28 (Click on the date for details of this licence.).

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1014795, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number 26306
National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1123687
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 418983.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 9531; 27484.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- English Heritage
  CastleUK.net
  Charles Taylor's ecastles
  Paul Martin Remfry
  CastlesFortsBattle.co.uk
Books
- Osbourne, Mike, 2013, Defending Essex (Stroud: The History Press) p. 28
  Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 291-2, 509n59
  Neville, David, 2003, Lost Castles of Essex (Ian Henry) p. 63-8
  Clarke, R., 2002, Preliminary survey and recording at Hadleigh Castle, Essex
  Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 30-2
  Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 72-3
  Colin Platt, 1984, Medieval Britain from the air p. 184-5
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 144-5
  Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 238
  Pevsner, N., 1965, Buildings of England: Essex (London, Penguin, 2edn. revised by E. Radcliffe)
  Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 659-666
  RCHME, 1923, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex Vol. 4 (south-east) p. 63-66 no. 2 plan online transcription
  Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol. 1 p. 1 p. 260-1 online copy
  Morant, 1868, History and Antiquities of County of Essex (London) Vol. 1 p. 279-80
  Grose, Francis, 1785 (new edn orig 1756), Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol. 2 p. 119-23 online copy
  Buck, Samuel and Nathaniel, 1774, Buck's Antiquities (London) Vol. 1 p. 92
Periodical Articles
- Guy, Neil, et al, 2011-12, 'CSG Annual Conference April 2011' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 25 p. 94-7
  2010-11, 'Hadleigh Castle' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 24 p. 216 (news report)
  Alexander, M. and Westlake, S., 2009, 'Hadleigh Castle, Essex' English Heritage Historical Review Vol. 4 p. 4-21 abstract and online purchase
  Ennis, T. and Roy, M., 2007 (published 2009), 'Excavations at Hadleigh Castle, 2004' Essex Archaeology and History Vol. 38 p. 198-203
  1983, Essex Archaeological Society Transactions Vol. 15 p. 175-176
  Drewett, P.L., 1975, 'Excavations at Hadleigh Castle Essex, 1971-72' Journal British Archaeological Association (ser3) Vol. 38 p. 90-154
  1974, Essex Archaeological Society Transactions Vol. 48 p. 7
  (Drewett) in Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1973, 'Medieval Britain in 1972' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 17 p. 161-2 download copy
  Drewett, 1973, Essex Journal Vol. 8 p. 79-87 (excavations)
  (Drewett) in Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1972, 'Medieval Britain in 1971' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 16 p. 179-181 download copy
  Drewett, 1972, Essex Journal Vol. 7 p. 37-44 (excavations)
  Sparvel-Bayly, J.A., 1889, The Antiquary Vol. 19 p. 202-6
  Sparvel-Bayly, J.A., 1881, 'Hadleigh Castle, Essex' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 38 p. 201-6 online copy
  Sparvel-Bayly, J.A., 1878, Essex Archaeological Society Transactions (new ser) Vol. 1 p. 86-108, 187-92 (records)
  King, H.W., 1869, 'Notes on recent excavations at Hadleigh Castle' Essex Archaeological Society Transactions Vol. 4 p. 70-81 online copy
  King, H.W., 1863, 'Hadleigh Castle' Essex Archaeological Society Transactions Vol. 2 p. 82-92 online copy
Guidebooks
- Anon, 1978 (2edn), Hadleigh Castle (HMSO)
  Anon, 1963, Hadleigh Castle_ (HMSO)
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III (1225-32) Vol. 2 p. 417, 422 online copy
  Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) (lists sources for 1272-1422) p. 192-4
  C145/9(26) (Survey of 1256) The National Archives reference (calendared in Maxwell Lyte, H.C., 1916, Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous (Chancery), preserved in the Public Record Office (H.M.S.O.) Vol. 1 No. 223)
  E142/80(4) (Survey of 3 Edward I) The National Archives reference
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- Camden, Wm, 1607, Britannia hypertext critical edition by Dana F. Sutton (2004)
Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- Alexander, M. and Westlake, S., 2009, Hadleigh Castle Essex, Earthwork Analysis. Survey Report (English Heritage Research Department Report series 32-2009) Download copy

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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