Sulgrave Castle Hill

In the civil parish of Sulgrave.
In the historic county of Northamptonshire (Modern Authority of Northamptonshire, 1974 county of Northamptonshire).

Norman ringwork excavated, revealing a Late Saxon hall house. Roman pottery was also found during the excavations. The most recent interpretation suggests that the first occupation of the site was in the late C10. In the early C11 a bank and ditch were constructed with a massive rampart added in the mid C11. Soon afterwards the rampart was heightened and widened and the present ringwork was perhaps created at this stage. The site was abandoned by the mid C12. A tower, or gatehouse, of stone was discovered in the earthworks in recent years. This was probably early C12.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Masonry 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 SP55654530

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; 339256

• Web site links
  • http://www.sulgrave.org/Sulgrave%20Castle%20Ancient%20Monument.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern) p82
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p169 [slight]
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p318
    RCHME, 1982, 'Ringwork' in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the County of Northampton Vol4, South-west Northamptonshire (HMSO) p139-40
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p304
    Wilson, D.M. (ed), 1976, The archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England pp63-4, 85-6
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Downman, E.A., 1906, in Serjeantson, R.M., Ryland, W. and Adkins, D. (eds), VCH Northampton Vol2 p407
• Journal Articles
  • Youngs, S.M. et al, 1988 ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1987' Medieval Archaeology Vol32 p267
    1982, Northamptonshire Archaeology Vol17 p103
    Davison, B.K., 1977, ‘Five castle excavations: reports on the Institute’s research project into the origins of the castle in England. Excavations at Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, 1960-76: an interim report' Archaeological Journal Vol134 p105-14
    1973, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1972' Medieval Archaeology Vol17 p147
    Davison, B.K., 1973, CBA Group 9 Newsletter Vol3 p20
    1969, Medieval Archaeology Vol13 p236
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Davison, B.K., 1969, 'Sulgrave - Ringwork' Current Archaeology Vol12 p19-22
    Davison, B.K., 1968, 'Excavations at Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, 1968' Archaeological Journal Vol125 p305-7
    1964, Château Gaillard Vol2 p45-8
    1964, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1963' Medieval Archaeology Vol8 p237
    1962-3, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1961' Medieval Archaeology Vol6/7 p333
    1961, Medieval Archaeology Vol5 p328