Cardinham Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Cadenham

In the civil parish of Cardinham.
In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Earthwork remains of motte and bailey castle probably built by Richard Fitz Turold. The motte is 4m high and has been extensively mutilated on its top and east side by surface stone digging. (King calls this a ringwork) The bailey is generally well preserved on the west and south sides but the east side has apparently been cut away.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX126680

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; 432594

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/200/cardinhamcastle.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern) p6
    Higham, Robert A., 1999, 'Castles, Fortified Houses and Fortified Towns in the Middle Ages' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p136-43
    Salter, Mike, 1999, The Castles of Devon and Cornwall (Malvern) p18
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p24 [slight]
    Spreadbury, I. D., 1984, Castles in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (Redruth)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p73
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p2
    Polwhele, R., 1803, History of Cornwall (London) Vol1 p107
• Journal Articles
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p310
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Picken, W.M.M., 1954-5, Devon and Cornwall notes and queries Vol26 p203-4
    MacLauchlan, 1850, Royal Institute of Cornwall 32th report p36 plate xxvii
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p78