Wormegay Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Wormgay

In the civil parish of Wormegay. In the historic county of Norfolk (Modern Authority of Norfolk, 1974 county of Norfolk).

Motte and bailey. Motte is visible as a large, sub-circular earthen mound 5m high and measuring about 77m by 62m at the base, surrounded on the north, west and south sides by a ditch 12m-15m wide which remains open to a depth of 2m. On the top of the mound is a slightly uneven platform on which would have stood a tower. The bailey adjoins the motte on the eastern side and takes the form af an enclosure measuring 150m by 88m, raised about 1m above the external ground level and bounded by a semicircular ditch which runs outward from the motte ditch and ranges in width from 9m on the south side to 19m on the east. The castle was probably built by Hermer de Ferrers after the Norman Conquest.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TF65931173

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 356377
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 3455 '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.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_east_anglia/132/wormegaycastle.htm
    http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MNF3455
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/wormegay.html
• Books
  • Liddiard, Robert, 2005, 'The Castle Landscape of Anglo-Norman East Anglia: A Regional Perspective' in Harper-Bill, C. (ed), Medieval East Anglia (Woodbridge, Boydell) p33-51
    Cushion, B. and Davison, A., 2003, Earthworks of Norfolk (Dereham: East Anglian Archaeology 104) p184-5 [plan]
    Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern) p9
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p71
    Liddiard, R., 2000, Landscapes of Lordship (Oxford: BAR 309) p31-3, 75-9
    Wade-Martins, P. (ed), 1999, Norfolk From The Air Vol2 (Norfolk Museums Service) p39
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p164 [slight]
    Rogerson, Andrew, 1994, 'Castles' in Wade-Martins, P, (ed), An Historical Atlas of Norfolk (2edn Norwich; Norfolk Museums) p68-9
    Pounds, N.J.G., 1990, The Medieval Castle in England and Wales (Cambridge University Press) p132
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p309
    Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1962, Buildings of England: North-west and south Norfolk (Penguin) p390
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England (New York: Macmillan) Vol1 p308 http://www.archive.org/stream/castlesofengland01mack#page/308/mode/1up
• Journal Articles
  • Braun, H., 1937, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol 1 p140