Donnington Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Donington; Donyngton; Dennington; Dunnington

In the civil parish of Shaw cum Donnington. In the historic county of Berkshire (Modern Authority of West Berkshire, 1974 county of Berkshire).

Medieval castle licensed circa 1386. Flint with stone dressings and some repairs in brick. Ruined courtyard with the remains of 6 towers. Gatehouse to east, possibly by Henry Yevele. 3 storeys. 2 circular towers at eastern corners of 4 stages with plinth and battlemented parapet. 2 square headed windows to east with moulded 4-centered arch below. Interior: Gatehall has 2 bay lierne vault with moulded ribs, cusped panels and carved bosses. (Images of England)
The castle was vigourously defended during the Civil War when encircled by extensive fieldworks, which survive as scarps averaging 1.7 metres high. (PastScape)
Excavated in 1932.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 394112)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU461691

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 233041
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.britannia.com/history/berks/donncast.html
    http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/donnington_cast.html
    http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/camber/camber.php#castle
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.181
    http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/adv_reference.asp?imageUID=53673
    http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/adv_reference.asp?imageUID=56852
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/donnington.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/174/donnington.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p83-5
    Elliot, Julia (ed), 2005, Heritage Unlocked; Guide to free sites in London and the South East (London: English Heritage) p94-5
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p18-21
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p5
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 10-11
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p219-10
    Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1966, The buildings of England Berkshire p128
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p38-41
    Page, Wm and Ditchfield, P.H. (eds), 1924, VCH Berkshire Vol4 p93-4 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62687#s3
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England (New York: Macmillan) Vol1 p171-4 http://www.archive.org/stream/castlesofengland01mack#page/171/mode/1up
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol2 (London) p63-4 http://www.archive.org/stream/abbeyscastlesanc00timbrich#page/62/mode/2up
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p278, 419
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1853, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol2 p269
    Lysons, D. and S., 1806, Magna Britannia Vol1 p355-7, 461-2 [history]
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p6
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol1 p5-9 and plates http://books.google.com/books?id=D01LAAAAMAAJ
• Journal Articles
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' The Archaeological Journal Vol143 p318
    Macnamara, 1898, 'Historic Houses: Donnington Castle' Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol4 p48-60, 70-5 [history–download via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?berks_bas_2007]
    Godwin, H., 1873, Archaeologia Society of Antiquaries of London Vol44 p459-79 [history]
• Guidebooks
  • Wood, M., 1964, Donnington 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 (1385-89) p156 Licence to crenellate
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1413-16) p234
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/barkseng.html#berks9]