Corfe Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Corfegeat

In the civil parish of Corfe Castle.
In the historic county of Dorset (Modern Authority of Dorset, 1974 county of Dorset).

The earliest visible features comprise the late C11 fragments of a hall in the west bailey and the wall surrounding the inner ward. The ashlar built keep is dated to circa 1105 and the 'Gloriette' is an early C13 courtyard mansion with C15 addition which was built to supplement or replace accomadation in the keep. The enciente retains a defensive system of walls and murial towers mainly of the early and late C13. During the Civil War the castle was besieged and slighted. Foundations of a possible pre Conquest building revealed in excavation in the west bailey possibly represents either a 'hospitium' belonging to Shaftesbury Abbey or a royal residence associated with King Edward who was murdered at 'Corfegeat' in 978.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Palace.
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 109274)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SY958823

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 456826

Web site links

http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/castles/corfe%20castle.htm
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/historicproperties/index.cfm?fuseaction=property&property_id=29
http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/corfe/corfe.php
http://freespace.virgin.net/philip.dunn/sites/corfe.htm
http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/195/corfecastle.htm
http://www.touruk.co.uk/castles/castle_corfe.htm

Books

Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p16-21
Pomeroy, Colin, 1998, Discover Dorset Castles and Forts (Dovecote Press)p15-21
Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p64-5
Wilton, Phil, 1995, Castles of Dorset (Wimborne)
James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p18, 94
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p126-7
Bankes, G. (edited and abridged by E Hardy), 1983, The story of Corfe Castle: collected from ancient chronicles and records. (London: Regency Press) [paperback, Dovecote Press, Wimborne, 1988*]
Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p214-6
Penn, K.J., 1980, Historic towns in Dorset (Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society monograph series No.1) p44-45
Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
Pevsner, N. and Newman J., 1972, Buildings of England: Dorset (London) p161-6
RCHME, 1970, An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset. Vol2: south-east (HMSO) p57-78 plates 74-87 and 90-1 [plan at end]
Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p616-624
Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p86-8, 151
Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p189-90
Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p135-8
Evans, Herbert A., 1912, Castles of England and Wales (London) p75-88
Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
Bankes, 1907, in Perkins and Pentin, Memories of Old Dorset (London) p200-21 [history only]
Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p241-5
Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p461-75 [Reprint of 1866 article]
Bond, T., 1883, History and Description of Corfe Castle in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset (London)
Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p453-65
Hutchins, J., 1861-73 (3edn), History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset (Blandford) Vol1 p469-511
Brannon, P., 1860, The Illustrated, Historical and Picturesque Guide to Corfe Castle (London)
Bankes, G., 1853, The Story of Corfe Castle (London)
A Near Resident, 1829, An Historical and Architectural Description of Corfe Castle (Poole)
Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p74
Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol2 p71-80

Journal Articles

Anon, 2007, 'Corfe Castle Repairs' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol20 p141 [news report]
Reeve, M.M. and Thurlby, M., 2005, 'King John's Gloriette at Corfe Castle' Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians Vol64 p168-85
Papworth, Martin, 1999, 'Corfe Castle, photogrammetric survey' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol121 p151
Papworth, Martin, 1998, 'Corfe Castle, photogrammetric survey' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol120 p110
Grace, Nancy and Papworth, Martin, 1997, 'Corfe Castle, inner ward, interim report 1997' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol119 p164-5
Grace, Nancy and Papworth, Martin, 1996, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1996' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol118 p138-9
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1995, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1995' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol117 p128
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1994, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1994' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol116 p123
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1993, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1993' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol115 p151-2
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1992, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1992' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol114 p238-9
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1991, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1991, interim report' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol113 p175
Harfield, C.G., 1991, 'A Hand-list of Castles Recorded in the Domesday Book' English Historical Review Vol106
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1990, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1990, interim report' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol112 p125
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1989, 'Excavations at Corfe Castle 1989, interim report' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol111 p114
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1988, ‘Corfe Castle, outer gatehouse excavations 1988 – interim report’ Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol110 p156
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1988, ‘Corfe Castle, west bailey excavations 1988 – interim report’ Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol110 p156-7
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1987, 'Corfe Castle, outer gatehouse excavations 1986. Interim report' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol109 p136
Thackray, David and Papworth, Martin, 1987, ‘Corfe Castle, west bailey excavations 1987. Interim report’ Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol109 p136
1987, Fort Vol15 p55
Morley, B.M., 1983, ‘Corfe Castle’ Archaeological Journal Vol140 p54-8
Casada, J.A., 1973, 'Corfe Castle, New Evidence on the Second Siege' Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries Vol29 p296-299
Faulkner, 1963, Archaeological Journal Vol120 p216 [on domestic arrangements]
RCHME., 1960, 'Excavations in the West bailey at Corfe Castle' Medieval Archaeology Vol4 p29-55
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
Perks, J.Clifford, 1953, 'Development of Corfe Castle in the 13th Century' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol76 p62-66
Simpson, W.Douglas, 1951, 'Development of Corfe Castle' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol73 p71-84
Farrar, R.A.N., 1951, 'Archaeological Fieldwork in Dorset' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol73 p91
Chambers, 1949, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol71 p58-9 [excavation report]
Dru Drury, G., 1942, 'Excavations of Orictalagus cuniculus at Corfe Castle' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol65 p68-75
Dru Drury, G., 1942, 'Constables of Corfe Castle and some of their Seals' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol65 p76-91
Toy, S., 1929, 'Corfe Castle: its history, construction and present condition' Archaeologia Vol79 p85-102
Armitage, E., 1904 April, 'The Early Norman Castles of England' The English Historical Review Vol74 p227-9
Blashill, T., 1872, Journal of the Archaeological Association Vol28 p258-71 [history]
Bond, T., 1865, 'Corfe Castle Archaeological Journal Vol22 p200-222
Clark, G.T., 1865, 'Description of Corfe Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol22 p223-40

Guidebooks

Thackray, D., 1988 (Rev edn), Corfe Castle, Dorset (London: National Trust)
Thackray, D., 1987 (Rev edn), Corfe Castle, Dorset (London: National Trust)
Tinniswood, A., 1987, Corfe Castle: 1000 years of history (London: National Trust)
Thackray, D., 1985, Corfe Castle, Dorset (London: National Trust)
Bond, T., 1883, History and Description of Corfe Castle (London and Bournemouth)

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

William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/dorseteng.html#dorset4]

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

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

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.

*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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