Duffield Castle, Derbyshire

In the civil parish of Duffield.
In the historic county of Derbyshire (Modern Authority of Derbyshire, 1974 county of Derbyshire).

Duffield castle consists of the remains of a C12 tower keep castle together with those of C11 motte and bailey castle which preceded it, and also part of the remains of C6 or C7 Anglian cemetery and a Romano-British settlement which formerly occupied the area. Excavations indicate that the castle was built circa 1080 in earth and timber. This motte and bailey was destroyed in 1173, but in 1177-90 William de Ferrers built a stone keep. Modifications were made after 1250 and in 1266 the castle was demolished. A small medieval building was constructed after the demolition of the castle in the mid C13.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Timber 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 SK34344406

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; 313736

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_midlands/128/duffieldcastle.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern) p19
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p49
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford)
    Smith, Michael E., 1992, Castles and Manor Houses in and around Derbyshire (Derby)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p109
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p223
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Cox, 1905, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Derbyshire Vol1 p380-3
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p466-8
• Journal Articles
  • 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]
    Manby, T.G., 1959, 'Duffield Castle Excavations 1957' Derbyshire Archaeological Journal Vol79 p1-20
    [Manby], 1958, Medieval Archaeology Vol2 p195
    Williamson, F., 1931, 'Roman and other remains found at Duffield.' Derbyshire Archaeological Journal Vol52 p107-112
    Cox, J.C., 1887, 'Duffield Castle; its history, site, and recently found remains; with some account of the seven Earl Ferrers who held it' Derbyshire Archaeological Journal Vol9 p118-178
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p101