Bletchingley Castle

In the civil parish of Bletchingley.
In the historic county of Surrey (Modern Authority of Surrey, 1974 county of Surrey).

Ring motte and bailey first mentioned 1160, with later stone keep probably built between 1152 and 1217. Only foundations of the keep survived in the early C19 but partial reconstruction has occured since (King calls these, probably with justification, bogus ruins). Outworks have been partly damaged by modern building. Excavations (1982-86) have identified a Medieval hall. It has been suggested that it was the principal castle of Richard Fitz Gilbert, and that the earthworks around the castle may represent a campaign position of the Norman army in the winter of 1066-7.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ32335055

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; 403924

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/187/bletchingleycastle.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Surrey (Malvern) p9
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p239
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p464
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p189
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Pevsner, N., 1962, The Buildings of England: Surrey (London, Penguin) p97
    Lambert, 1921, Bletchingley, a Parish History (London) Vol1 p39-41
    Malden, H.E. (ed), 1912, VCH Surrey Vol4 p255
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p91-2
    Manning and Bray, 1804-14, The History and Antiquities of Surrey (London) Vol2 p303-5
• Journal Articles
  • 1996, Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol83 p37-56
    1992 Feb, Fortress Vol12 p13-22
    Turner, D.J., 1986-7, ‘Bletchingley Castle excavation. Part III' Surrey Archaeological Society Bulletin Vol216 [3–4]
    Turner, D.J., 1986, ‘Bletchingley Castle excavation. Part II' Surrey Archaeological Society Bulletin Vol215 [3–5]
    Turner, D.J., 1986, ‘Bletchingley Castle excavation. Part I' Surrey Archaeological Society Bulletin Vol214 [4]
    1984, Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol75 p267
    1983, Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol74 p192
    Field and Nicholaysen, 1980, Surrey Archaeological Society Bulletin Vol169 p5-6
    Ketteringham, L., 1978, Bourne Society Bulletin Vol92 p2
    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]
    Malden, H.E., 1900, Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol15 p17-26