Rufus Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bow & Arrow; Rufus's; Portlaund

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

The site of a castle, captured in 1142 by Robert, Earl of Gloucester and rebuilt in C15. The remains of Mid C15 pentagonal enclosure with gun loops, walls and gateway survive, possible on foundations of Norman keep or castle licensed 1256 and 1258. It appears to have been the keep of a stronghold, the foundations of which were above the top of St Andrew's Church, now in ruins in the cleft below. The walls of the keep are roughly 7ft thick and built of Portland stone. The approach bridge and entry archway are C19 in date. The walls to the north and west stand to their full height, but part of the south east wall, which is thinner has broken away.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Artillery Fort.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1257 Dec 12.

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1259 Feb 7.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 381924)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SY69757117

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; 451726

• Web site links
  • http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/main.asp?svid=141&svaid=362&svapid=1453
    http://www.explorethesouthwestcoastpath.co.uk/portland_weymouth_e18.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p26
    Pomeroy, Colin, 1998, Discover Dorset Castles and Forts (Dovecote Press) p32,34-36
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p167
    Wilton, Phil,1995, Castles of Dorset (Wimborne)
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p66-7
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p125, 129
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p288
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Pevsner, N. and Newman, J., 1972, Buildings of England: Dorset (London) p342
    RCHME, 1970, An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset. Vol2: south-east (HMSO) p252-3
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p402
• Journal Articles
  • Hunt, A., 1983, ‘Rufus or Bow and Arrow Castle, Portland' Archaeological Journal Vol140 p74
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p219-20
    1980, Fort Vol8 p5
    King, D.J.C., 1947, 'Bow and Arrow Castle, Portland' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol69 p65-67
    Pentin, H., 1916, 'Old Portland' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol37 p230-233
    Symonds, H., 1914, 'Sandsfoot and Portland Castles' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol35 p27-40
    Head, J.Merrick, 1891, 'Portland: Historical Notes, Descent of the Manor, etc.' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Vol12 p121-124
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1258-66) p11
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1247-58) p607
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p136