Marshwood Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Marshwood, Dorset, within the Vale of Marshwood. It was built by William de Mandeville following his elevation to Baron Marshwood in 1205 by King John,[1] and is first recorded as a built castle in 1215.[2] The castle is no longer standing, but ruins remain and they are a scheduled monument.

Marshwood Castle
Marshwood, Dorset, United Kingdom
Marshwood Castle is located in Dorset
Marshwood Castle
Marshwood Castle
Coordinates50°46′33″N 2°50′45″W / 50.7757°N 2.8458°W / 50.7757; -2.8458
TypeCastle
Site information
OwnerPrivate ownership
Open to
the public
No
ConditionRuined
Site history
Built1205–1215
Events
Official nameMarshwood Castle
Designated30 August 1960; 64 years ago (1960-08-30)
Reference no.1002836

Honour of Marshwood

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The castle was the Head of the Honour and Barony of Mandeville of Marshwood (usually referred to as the Honour of Marshwood),[3] which had extensive land holdings across the South West.

Remains

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The remains of the castle are within the working Lodge House Farm, with barns and agricultural buildings encroaching on the earthworks. There remains the lower walls of a fortified house, which might date from the 1350s – 1360s.[2]

There are also various other remains around the site, including the former St Mary's Chapel, and various earthworks and buildings.[4]

Designation

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The remains of the castle are a scheduled monument.[5]

The specific walls of the fortified house are listed at Grade II*.[6]

The castle appears on the Heritage at Risk Register.[7][8]

References

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  1. ^ Hannay, Clive; Legg, Rodney (September 2010). "Marshwood". Dorset Life.
  2. ^ a b "Marshwood Castle: Official List Entry". Historic England.
  3. ^ "Historic England Research Records: Marshwood Castle". Heritage Gateway.
  4. ^ "Marshwood," in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, West. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1952. pp. 156–157.
  5. ^ "Marshwood Castle". Historic England.
  6. ^ "Remains of Marshwood Castle, 50 Metres West of Lodge House Farmhouse, Poorhouse Lane". Historic England.
  7. ^ Heritage at Risk – South West Register 2016 (PDF). Historic England. 2016. p. 135.
  8. ^ "Marshwood Castle". Heritage at risk register. Historic England.