Ludgershall Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Lutgershall

In the civil parish of Ludgershall.
In the historic county of Wiltshire (Modern Authority of Wiltshire, 1974 county of Wiltshire).

The earthworks at Ludgershall Castle include two contiguous enclosures; the northern enclosure, a ringwork, was a medieval fortification which was later used as a royal residence. It appears that the bank and ditch of the ringwork formed part of a garden feature. The southern enclosure comprises a double bank and ditch which has been extensively quarried in the south-west; in the south-east modern housing and a farm track obscures the earthworks. Additional features include a hollow way to the west of the castle, and a massive ditch in the east which has been variously described as a deer park boundary and town defences. Excavations between 1964 and 1971 identified the development of residential buildings from C11-C13 within the north ringwork. Timber and stone buildings were recorded, along with a keep and hall. A dewpond and a timber lined cellar were also recorded.

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 ruins/remnants remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU26385118

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; 224349

• Web site links
  • http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.276
• Books
  • Endacott, Alan and Kelleher, Susan (eds), 2004, Heritage Unlocked; Guide to free sites in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (English Heritage) p76-9 [plan]
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p92-3
    Ellis, Peter (ed), 2000, Ludgershall Castle: a report on the excavations by Peter Addyman 1964-1972 (Devizes: Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society monographs No2)
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p275
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p174, 185, 190, 191, 358
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p499
    Wilcox, R.P., 1981, Society of Antiquaries of London occasional papers No5 p17-18, 20, 23, 35
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p256-7
    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) p729-31
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p226-8
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol6 p29-31
• Journal Articles
  • Cherry, J. and Ellis, P., 2001, 'Ludgershall Castle: two addenda' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol94 p234-5
    Everson, P., 2000, 'Ludgershall Castle, Wiltshire: public access to research' Conservation Bulletin Vol39 p18-9
    Creighton, O.H., 2000, 'Early Castles in the Medieval Landscape of Wiltshire' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol93 p107
    Stevenson, J.H., 1992, 'The castles of Marlborough and Ludgershall in the Middle Ages' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol85 p70-79
    Addyman, P.V., 1973 'Excavations at Ludgershall Castle, Wilshire, England (1964-1972)' Château Gaillard Vol6 p7-14
    (Addyman), 1972, Medieval Archaeology Vol16 p183-4
    Addyman, P.V., 1971, CBA Group 12 and 13 Archaeological Review p44
    (Addyman), 1970, Medieval Archaeology Vol14 p176-7
    (Addyman), 1969, Medieval Archaeology Vol13 p261
    Addyman, P.V., 1969, 'Excavations at Ludgershall Castle, Wilshire' Château Gaillard Vol4 p9-12
    Addyman, P.V., 1969, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol44 p124-6
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    (Addyman), 1968, Medieval Archaeology Vol12 p179-80
    (Addyman), 1967, Medieval Archaeology Vol11 p286-8
    Addyman, P.V., 1967, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol42 p127-8
    (Addyman), 1966, Medieval Archaeology Vol10 p191-2
    Addyman, P.V., 1966, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol41 p104-5
    (Addyman), 1965, Medieval Archaeology Vol9 p192
    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]
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    Awdry, 1884, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol21 p317-30 [history only and very poor]
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/wilshireeng.html#wilts18]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p504
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol5 p6