South Cerney Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Cerne; Cernei

In the civil parish of South Cerney. In the historic county of Gloucestershire (Modern Authority of Gloucestershire, 1974 county of Gloucestershire).

Site of a Norman or C12 castle. Excavations in 1935-6 revealed a square well, masonry, roofing and glazed tiles and C16-C17 pottery. Medieval pottery, mainly C12 in date, was also found. The castle may have been built by Milo Fitzwalter and captured by King Stephen in 1139 although the earthworks at Ashton Keynes (qv) or a lost castle at Calne (qv) have also been suggested for this event. I presume the found masonry is of C16-C17 date and that the C12 castle was of timber. (King warns "Frequently muddled with Cerne, Dorset and Calne, Wilts)
Regarding the castellum de Cernei mentioned in 1139 this castle was stormed, rather than besieged, so this may suggest a small castle although still significant enough to be mentioned. The other places mentioned in this paragraph are Trowbridge and Malmesbury which might suggest this was a campaign against urban centres in Wiltshire. On this very weak evidence I would tentatively suggest Calne.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU047976

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 216679
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Web site links
  • http://www.ecastles.co.uk/cerney.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Gloucestershire and Bristol (Malvern) p32
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p181
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p219 [placed in Dorset]
• Journal Articles
  • Walker, D., 1991, 'Gloucestershire Castles' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol109 p15 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v109/bg109005.pdf
    Rawes, B., 1977, 'A Check List of Castles and other Fortified Sites of Medieval Date in Gloucestershire' Glevensis Vol11 p39-41
    Walker, D., 1958, 'Miles of Gloucester, Earl of Hereford' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol77 p73 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v077/bg077066.pdf
    Kennen, F., 1931, 'Proceedings at the Annual Meeting held at Cirencester, 7-9 July 1931, and Report of Itinerary' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol53 p55 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v053/bg053013.pdf
    Bazeley, W., 1878-9, 'On the Earls of Gloucester' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol3 p381 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v003/bg003368.pdf
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Sewell, R.C. (ed), 1846, Gesta Stephani, Regis Anglorum et Ducis Normannorum p59 http://books.google.com/books?id=MK8KAAAAYAAJ