Abinger Castle is an earthwork motte and bailey that was topped with a small wooden fortress.[1] It is located in Abinger Common, between Guildford and Dorking in Surrey, England.
History
editAbinger Castle was founded by William Fitz-Ansculf c. 1100.[1][2] It was initially composed of wood and was rebuilt in 1140. It had a longer life than most castles of its type, surviving until 1153.[3]
Surrounding Area
editManor
editAbinger Manor is a grade II listed manor house located south of the motte.[4] The manor was recorded in the Domesday Book as land belonging to William fitz Ansculf.[5] It was re-established in 1688 by John Evelyn and was rebuilt in c. 1872 using some old materials following a new design by Alfred Waterhouse.
Church
editSt James' Church was first established in the 12th century and remains due east of the motte. The earliest extant sections of the church are its chancel and north chapel, rebuilt c. 1220. Bombed during World War II, it was restored in 1950 by Frederick Etchells. The church is a grade II* listed building.[6]
Mesolithic site
editThere are remains of a Mesolithic pit-dwelling near the motte, representing one of the oldest known and best preserved man-made dwelling remains in Britain.[7] The site is also notable for containing many examples of microlith assemblages. The site is a scheduled monument.[7]
Excavation
editIt was excavated by Brian Hope-Taylor between 1947 and 1949.[1] These excavations revealed the postholes of a wooden tower, a horizontal bridge connecting the motte to the bailey, and a surrounding palisade. The central motte remains, suspected to be of approximately the same height as it originally was,[8] and is a scheduled monument.[2]
Notes
edit- ^ a b c Fry, Plantagenet Somerset (1980). The David & Charles Book of Castles. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 176. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3.
- ^ a b Scheduled Ancient Monument "Motte Castle at Abinger Manor" Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1012579)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
- ^ Johnson, Paul (1989). Castles of England, Scotland and Wales. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 13. ISBN 0-297-83162-3.
- ^ Abinger Manor Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028827)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
- ^ Domesday book: A Complete Translation. Williams, Ann. Martin, G. H. London: Penguin Books. 2003. p. 85. ISBN 0-14-051535-6. OCLC 54415956.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ St James Church Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1378082)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1005927)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
- ^ "Abinger Motte". CastleUK.Net. Archived from the original on 3 January 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2007.