Exeter Rougemont Castle

In the civil parish of Exeter.
In the historic county of Devon (Modern Authority of Devon, 1974 county of Devon).

Sited on a natural rock knoll known as Rougemont, the castle was built in 1086 following William the Conqueror's subjection of the city. Initially defended by the city wall and ditch to the north and a stockaded ring-work like bank and ditch to the south, walls were substituted for the stockade by the early C12. An outer bailey with a barbican entry was added before 1200, and although the defences were destroyed some time after 1587 their circuit can still be traced. The castle was beseiged by King Stephen in 1136, was a Royal residence in the reign of King John but had ceased to have any military importance by 1300. It was in bad condition by 1774. Claims that Rougemont was an Iron Age fort before the Norman castle are without foundation.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 88901)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX921929

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; 448314

• Web site links
  • http://www.britannia.com/history/devon/castles/exetercast.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/192/exetercastle.htm
    http://www.norman-world.com/angleterre/Patrimoine_architectural/Angleterre/Castles/exeter/exeter1.htm
• Books
  • Higham, Robert A., 1999, 'Castles, Fortified Houses and Fortified Towns in the Middle Ages' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p136-43
    Salter, Mike, 1999, The Castles of Devon and Cornwall (Malvern) p60-2
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p58
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p50, 58, 59, 61, 129, 130, 189, 194,
    Pevsner, Nikolaus and Cherry, Bridget, 1989, Buildings of England: Devon (Harmondsworth)
    Weddell, P.J., Holbrook, N. and Henderson, C.G., 1987, ‘The outer ward of Exeter Castle' in Blaylock, S.R. and Henderson C.G. (eds), Exeter Archaeology 1985/6(Exeter: Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit) p51-2
    Drage, C., 1987, 'Urban castles' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p117-32
    Mildren, James, 1987, Castles of Devon (Bossiney Books) p52-7
    Blaylock, S.R., 1985, ‘Exeter Castle gatehouse’,in Henderson, C.G. (ed), Archaeology in Exeter 1984/5 (Exeter: Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit) p18-24
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p116
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p229
    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) p647-9
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p145
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p103-4
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p91-2
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p151-5
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p29-31
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p44-7
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p470
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p354
    Lysons, D. and S., 1822, Magna Britannia Vol6 Devon p. cccxlv-cccxlviii [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?pubid=406]
    Jenkins, 1806, History and Description of the City of Exeter (Exeter) p278-81
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol2 p66-70
• Journal Articles
  • Bradley, J and Gaimster, M. (eds), 2004, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2003' Medieval Archaeology Vol48 p253
    Hope, I., 1994 - 5. 'Exeter' Current Archaeology Vol141 p348
    Harfield, C.G., 1991, 'A Hand-list of Castles Recorded in the Domesday Book' English Historical Review Vol106
    Blaylock, S. R. and Higham, R.A., 1990. 'Exeter Castle' in Royal Archaeological Institute, Proceedings of the 136th Summer Meeting, supplement to Archaeological Journal Vol147 p35 - 9
    Higham, R.A., 1988, 'Devon Castles: an annotated list' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol46 p142-9
    Youngs, S.M. et al, 1988 ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1987' Medieval Archaeology Vol32 p239
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T., 1987, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1986' Medieval Archaeology Vol31 p120-1
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p309, 313
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T., 1986, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1985' Medieval Archaeology Vol30 p131
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1984, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1983' Medieval Archaeology Vol28 p216
    Higham, R.A., 1982, 'Early Castles in Devon' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p101-116
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Vatchell, E.T., 1966, 'Exeter Castle; its background and history' Devonshire Association reports and transactions Vol98 p327-48
    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]
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh 1957, Archaeological Journal Vol114 p138
    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
    Rose-Troup, F., 1934-5, 'The bailey of Exeter Castle' Devon Cornwall Notes Queries Vol18 p198-200
    Phear, Sir J., 1891-5, 'Discoveries at the Castle, Exeter' Devonshire Association reports and transactions Vol23 p318-21; Vol24 p147-50; Vol27 p137-43
    Jones, 1888, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Gleanings Vol1 p119-22 [largely on plans etc]
    Clark, G.T., 1873, Archaeological Journal Vol30 p416-9
    Oliver, G., 1850, 'The Castle of Exeter' Archaeological Journal Vol7 p128-39
• Guidebooks
  • Godsall, 1956, Castle of Exeter (Devon County Council)
    Chick, 1911, Castle of Exeter (Exeter)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • The Anglo-saxon Chronicle; Laud Chronicle AD1135
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/cornwalleng.html#devon8]
    John Hooker, 1575, The Antique Description and Account of the City of Exeter (Exeter: Andrew Brice) [http://www.trytel.com/%7Etristan/towns/florilegium/introduction/intro04.html]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p120
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol1 p227