Ludgershall Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Lutgershall

In the civil parish of Ludgershall. In the historic county of Wiltshire (Modern Authority of Wiltshire, 1974 county of Wiltshire).

Ludgershall Castle consists of the remains of a flint tower and extensive earthworks dating to between the 11th and 13th centuries. The earthworks include two contiguous enclosures; the northern enclosure, a ringwork, was a medieval fortification which was later used as a royal residence. It appears that the bank and ditch of the ringwork also formed part of a garden feature. The southern enclosure comprises a double bank and ditch which has been extensively quarried in the south-west area; in the south-east area modern housing and a farm track obscures the earthworks. This has been interpreted as a 'bailey'. Additional features include a hollow way to the west of the castle, and a massive ditch to the east which has been variously described as a deer park boundary and town defences. Excavations were carried out between 1964 and 1971. These identified the development of residential buildings from the 11th to 13th century within the north ringwork. A great hall is thought to have been added in the 1240s, and by the late 12th century mural towers, an undercroft and latrine towers were constructed. Excavations within the south ringwork identified three phases of 12th century timber buildings, a dewpond and a large timber-lined cellar. (PastScape)
Ludgershall Castle ... principally consists of a double-ditched, double ringwork which was excavated by Peter Addyman in 1964-72. The excavations found mid 12th century timber buildings and defences which were superseded by flint and mortar buildings in the 13th and 14th centuries, the remains of one of which still survives as a standing structure. It has royal associations from 1103, and was the scene of action during the Anarchy struggle (para. 4.4). After the mid 12th century a series of high-status buildings were erected within the northern ringwork, and towards the later Medieval period the castle appears to have primarily served as a royal hunting lodge, with royal parks to north and south. Maintenance of the castle appears to have ceased in the later 15th century, and by the time Leland visited Ludgershall in the 1550s it was either ruinous or demolished. (Mcmahon p7)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU26385118

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 224349
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is SU25SE450 '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.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.276
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/ludgershall.html
    http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/smr/getsmr.php?id=18032
• Books
  • Mcmahon, Phil, 2004, The Archaeology of Wiltshire’s Towns An Extensive Urban Survey Ludgershall (Wiltshire County Archaeology Service) http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-906-1/dissemination/pdf/EUS_Texts/Ludgershall.pdf
    Endacott, Alan and Kelleher, Susan (eds), 2004, Heritage Unlocked; Guide to free sites in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (London: English Heritage) p76-9 [plan]
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p92-3
    Ellis, Peter (ed), 2000, Ludgershall Castle: a report on the excavations by Peter Addyman 1964-1972 (Devizes: Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society monographs No2)
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p275
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p174, 185, 190, 191, 358
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p499
    Wilcox, R.P., 1981, Society of Antiquaries of London occasional papers No5 p17-18, 20, 23, 35
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p256-7
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p729-31
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p226-8
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol6 p29-31
• Journal Articles
  • Cherry, J. and Ellis, P., 2001, 'Ludgershall Castle: two addenda' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol94 p234-5
    Everson, P., 2000, 'Ludgershall Castle, Wiltshire: public access to research' Conservation Bulletin Vol39 p18-9
    Creighton, O.H., 2000, 'Early Castles in the Medieval Landscape of Wiltshire' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol93 p107
    Stevenson, J.H., 1992, 'The castles of Marlborough and Ludgershall in the Middle Ages' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol85 p70-79
    Addyman, P.V., 1973 'Excavations at Ludgershall Castle, Wilshire, England (1964-1972)' Château Gaillard Vol6 p7-14
    (Addyman), 1972, Medieval Archaeology Vol16 p183-4 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Addyman, P.V., 1971, CBA Group 12 and 13 Archaeological Review p44
    (Addyman), 1970, Medieval Archaeology Vol14 p176-7 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    (Addyman), 1969, Medieval Archaeology Vol13 p261 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Addyman, P.V., 1969, 'Excavations at Ludgershall Castle, Wilshire' Château Gaillard Vol4 p9-12
    Addyman, P.V., 1969, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol44 p124-6
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    (Addyman), 1968, Medieval Archaeology Vol12 p179-80 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    (Addyman), 1967, Medieval Archaeology Vol11 p286-8 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Addyman, P.V., 1967, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol42 p127-8
    (Addyman), 1966, Medieval Archaeology Vol10 p191-2 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Addyman, P.V., 1966, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol41 p104-5
    (Addyman), 1965, Medieval Archaeology Vol9 p192 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    Awdry, 1884, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol21 p317-30 [history only and very poor]
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/wilshireeng.html#wilts18]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p504
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol5 p6 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl05lelauoft
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • RCHME, 1998, An earthwork survey at Ludgershall Castle, Wiltshire (RCHME) Unpublished Report