Hadleigh Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Hatheleg; Hadleg

In the civil parish of Hadleigh. In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Essex, 1974 county of Essex).

Ruins of castle rebuilt by Edward III mid-Late C14 on the site of a castle built by Hubert de Burgh early C13 (licensed 1230). Reigate stone, ragstone some rubble and tiles, much cockle shell in mortar. Built on a spur overlooking the Thames estuary most of the southern features have slipped to a lower level. Only the foundations or bases of the curtain wall remain between the 8 towers, most of which are low in height. The 3 western towers of square plan, the others circular. To the south and east of the north west square and circular high towers are foundations of kitchen buildings, a hall and solar and a C16 lead melting hearth. The Barbican adjoins the 3 storey High Tower to the west. Low level north tower. The north east tower outer walls are of 3 storeys, with plinth and band of panelled stone and knapped flint over, 2 small square headed windows to ground and first floors and part of a similar window to upper storey, part of a flue to inner wall. South east tower of 3 storeys, with only the western face demolished. Plinth. Knapped flint band over. Each floor with 3 square headed variously spaced windows visible externally. Holes for bars visible. Various putlog holes. Within the south west wall is a garderobe, with chutes discharging externally onto the plinth through 3 square headed openings with sloped cills. 2 flues to north. The south side of the bailey has slipped downhill, but remains of the south and south west towers can be identified. Wall bases of former residential buildings lie between these 2 towers. Low level remains of west tower. The castle is of exceptional interest, being the only work of its type in the country. There is documentary evidence of the progress of the work in 1365-6.

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1230 Nov 28.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 116824)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ81018605

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 Defra ELS number; 418983 County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number; 9531, 27484

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/hadleigh/hadleigh.php
    http://www.digitalessex.com/pages/hadleigh_castle/index.shtml
    http://www.kingston.ac.uk/~ce_s011/landslid/hadleigh.htm
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_east_anglia/178/hadleighcastle.htm
    http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/castles/hadleigh_castle.htm
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.25
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/hadleigh.html
• Books
  • Neville, David, 2003, Lost Castles of Essex (Ian Henry) p63-8
    Clarke, R., 2002, Preliminary survey and recording at Hadleigh Castle, Essex
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p30-2
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p72-3
    Colin Platt, 1984, Medieval Britain from the air pp184-5
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p144-5
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p238
    Pevsner, N., 1965. The Buildings of England: Essex (London, Penguin, 2edn. revised by E. Radcliffe)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p659-666
    RCHME, 1923, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Vol4 [south-east] p63-66 plan
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol1 p1 p260-1
    Morant, 1868, History and Antiquities of County of Essex (London) Vol1 p279-80
    Grose, Francis, 1787, The Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol2 p123-7
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1p92
• Journal Articles
  • 1983, Essex Archaeological Society transactions Vol15 p175-176
    Drewett, 1975, Journal British Archaeological Association [ser3] Vol38 p90-154
    1974, Essex Archaeological Society transactions Vol48 p7
    [Drewett] in Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1973, ‘Medieval Britain in 1972’ Medieval Archaeology Vol17 p161-2 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Drewett, 1973, Essex Journal Vol8 p79-87 [excavations]
    [Drewett] in Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1972, ‘Medieval Britain in 1971’ Medieval Archaeology Vol16 p179-181 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Drewett, 1972, Essex Journal Vol7 p37-44 [excavations]
    Sparvel-Bayly, J.A., 1889, The Antiquary Vol19 p202-6
    Sparvel-Bayly, J.A., 1881, 'Hadleigh Castle, Essex' Archaeological Journal Vol38 p201-6
    Sparvel-Bayly, J.A., 1878, Essex Archaeological Society transactions [new ser] Vol1 p86-108, 187-92 [records]
    King, 1869, Essex Archaeological Society transactions Vol4 p70-81
    King, 1863, Essex Archaeological Society transactions Vol2 p82-92
• Guidebooks
  • Anon, 1978 (2edn), Hadleigh Castle (HMSO)
    Anon, 1963, Hadleigh Castle (HMSO)
• 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 (1225-32) p417, 422
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p192-4
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/essexeng.html#essex5]