Brightwell

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bretewell

In the civil parish of Brightwell Cum Sotwell.
In the historic county of Berkshire (Modern Authority of Oxfordshire, 1974 county of Oxfordshire).

The site of a castle mentioned circa 1153 and the earthwork remains of two sides of a moat were seen on Aerial Photographs. Considered an unlikely site by King, but no other author seems to have a problem with this being a siege castle of Wallingford. This was a large moat which formerly included the church and the manor house. If this was the site of the recorded siege castle then it would seem likely that the castle was a strengthening of existing thegnal burh. The moat may have been recut and straightened in a later period.

This site has been described as a;
Siege Work.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Nothing visible remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU57789076

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; 238202

• Web site links
  • http://www.britannia.com/history/berks/brightcast.html
    http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/brightwell_cast.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p65
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p8 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p13
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p194
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Page, Wm and Ditchfield, P.H. (eds), 1923, VCH Berkshire Vol3 p464 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43247
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Ditchfield, P.H. and Page, Wm (eds), 1906, VCH Oxfordshire Vol1 p269
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p170-1