Carisbrooke Castle

In the civil parish of Newport.
In the historic county of Hampshire (Modern Authority of Isle of Wight, 1974 county of Isle of Wight).

Motte and bailey built soon after the Conquest by William Fitz Osbern. The Earl of Devon, Baldwin de Redvers, fled here during the Anarchy and attempted to hold out against King Stephen's forces, but was forced to surrender due to water problems. It is unclear when the first stonework was added, but the style (polygonal shell keep) would tend to place it during the late C12-early C13. The de Redvers died out in 1293 and the Castle became Crown property. In 1336 the modest gatehouse was increased in size by Edward III. In 1377 the French invaded the island, but the Castle held out. Fortifications were added around 1597-1600 in the form of angle bastions earthworks.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 309434)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SZ486877

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 459868

• Web site links
  • http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/castles/carisbrooke%20castle.htm
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/196/carisbrookecastle.htm
    http://www.touruk.co.uk/castles/castle_carisbrooke.htm
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.177
    http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/adv_reference.asp?imageUID=81076
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p62-7
    Young, C.J., 2000, Excavations at Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight, 1921-1996 (Wessex Archaeology Report 18)
    Shuter, J., 1999, Carisbrooke Castle (Oxford)
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p107-8 [plan]
    Barron, W.G., 1985, The Castles of Hampshire and Isle of Wight (Paul Cave) p16-9
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p190
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works Vol4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p404-5, 407-8, 410, 530-5
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p201-2
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p591-5
    O’Neil, B.H.St.J., 1960, Castles and Cannon: A Study of Early Artillery Fortifications in England (Oxford: Claredon Press) p35-6, plate 9
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p121-3
    Page, Wm (ed), 1912, VCH, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Vol5 p222-7
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p198-201
    Stone, P.G., 1891, The Architectural Antiquities of the Isle of Wight (London) Vol2 p71-103 and plates
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p419-27
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p322
    Westall, c.1840, Views of Carisbrooke Castle (London) [bound with an unimportant history]
    King, Edward, 1799-1805, Munimenta antiqua or Observations on antient castles (W.Bulmer and Co) Vol3 p72-4
    Worsley, Richard, 1781, The History of the Isle of Wight (London) p41-6, xxxix-xliv
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p105
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol2 p165-74
• Journal Articles
  • 2002, Proceedings of the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol18 p55-80
    Harfield, C.G., 1991, 'A Hand-list of Castles Recorded in the Domesday Book' English Historical Review Vol106
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p312
    Young, C.J., 1983, ‘Carisbrooke Castle to 1100' Château Gaillard Vol11 p281–8
    Kenyon, J.R., 1983, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society Vol39 p140
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p210
    Young, C.J., 1979-80, ‘Carisbrooke Castle' CBA Newsletter and Calendar, 3 p135
    Young, C.J., 1979, Rescue news Vol20 p12
    1977, Fort Vol4 p79
    1968, Medieval Archaeology Vol12 p177
    1966, Medieval Archaeology Vol10 p190
    1964, Medieval Archaeology Vol8 p253
    Rigold, 1963, Château Gaillard Vol3 p128-38
    [Rigold and Knight], 1962-3, Medieval Archaeology Vol6-7 p321
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p249-280]
    Butchart, 1959, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society Vol21 p98-101
    Armitage, E., 1904 April, 'The Early Norman Castles of England' The English Historical Review Vol74 p222-3
    Stone, P.G., 1895-7, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians [ser2] Vol16 p409-11
    Markland, 1890-3, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society Vol2 p257-70
    Beattie, W., 1855, Journal of the Archaeological Association Vol11 p193-205
• Guidebooks
  • Young, Christopher, 2003, Carisbrooke Castle (English Heritage)
    Chamberlin, Russell, 2001, Carisbrooke Castle (English Heritage)
    Chamberlin, Russell, 1985, Carisbrooke Castle (English Heritage)
    Peers, C., 1982, [3edn] Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight, (HMSO)
    Peers, C., 1933, Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight, (HMSO)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/wilshireeng.html#wight3]