Angle Castle

Description

The Almshouse. Ruin of late mediaeval first-floor hall, parallel to but set back from village street. Reputedly a nunnery, but without historical proof. More positively referred to in 1715 as having been an almshouse. Also referred to on OS plans as a castle, but not known as such locally. Already in ruins when described in 1868. Now a shell with sheds added internally and externally. W side collapsed.
Rubble masonry with red sandstone gravel mortar. Main floor and roof are missing. Loopholes in ground storey walls, but no other details of a defensive character. First-floor entrance doorway is a large arched opening at E of the N side. Large lateral fireplace at W of the N side. Door and window heads of the first-floor hall are of late Gothic type. The E window has window seats not usual in late Gothic, but they are evidence of the domestic purpose of the building. (Listed Building Report)

1. Function and date uncertain, O.S. say 'Probably lesser castle of the 14th century.' Rectangular 2 storey, rubble, quasi-painted obtuse angled arches. Vault below corbel table. (possibly almshouse or Nunnery.)
2. Ruins of a massively constructed two storeyed building, about 6.1m by 4.5m, with walls 1.0m thick.
4. Ruin of late medieval first-floor hall. Reputedly a nunnery, but without historical proof. More positively referred to in 1715 as having been an almshouse. Also referred to on OS plans as a castle. (Coflein)

It appears to have been a building, 20 feet by 15 feet, of two storeys in height. The west side, containing the entrance, has disappeared. The upper floor was lighted by two or three large windows ; a fireplace and a cupboard with stone shelf by its side can also be traced. In the absence of clear indications the building may be put down as of late 15th or early 16th century date. (RCAHMW 1925)

Comments

A ruined late medieval hall house. It originally had a massive timber floor instead of a stone vault. Thick walls and narrow ground floor windows hint at some defensive considerations. Probably the caput of the Lord of the Manor of Angle.
The account of this being a nunnery is not substantiated although possibly the first inhabitants of the Almshouses were post-Reformation nuns.
This building, marked as 'castle' on the OS map and called 'Ruined Almshouse' in the Inventory and sometimes called "Nunnery" and "The Old Rectory" is often confused with Angle Rectory. All texts need to be read with great care, particularly with regard to histories which may relate to either building, and with the understanding that authors may well have confabulated the two buildings.
Although the smaller of the two medieval fortified buildings in Angle, this was the manorial centre and, therefore, was the local castle.