Old Stourton House

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Stourton Castle

In the civil parish of Stourton With Gasper.
In the historic county of Wiltshire (Modern Authority of Wiltshire, 1974 county of Wiltshire).

Fortified manor house built mid C15 and comprising two courts, one with open hall, kitchen and gatehouse. Mentioned by Leland in 1540. The house was beseiged in 1644 and following the sale of the estate was demolished circa 1720 to be replaced by the present Stourhead slightly to the north west. The site is marked by a series of turf covered banks and platforms approached by a hollow way. A park associated with the manor house was licensed circa 1428.

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

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST77883440

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; 202561

Books

Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p643-5
Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern) p11
Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p100
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p502 [possible]
Charles, Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, 1899, The History of the Noble House of Stourton
John Aubrey (corrected and enlarged by John Edward Jackson), 1862, Wiltshire, the topographical collections of John Aubrey, F R S, 1659-70 p389
Hoare, Richard Colt, 1822, The History of Modern Wiltshire Vol1 pt1 p42

Journal Articles

1936, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol81 p49

Guidebooks

Dodd, D., 1981, Stourhead (National Trust)

Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)

Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p502, 504

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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