Exeter Danes Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; New Castle

In the civil parish of Exeter. In the historic county of Devon (Modern Authority of Devon, 1974 county of Devon).

C12 ringwork was revealed by archaeological excavations in 1993 on the removal of an overlying embankment which revetted C19 reservoir. It consists of a steep sided circular ditch averaging 8m in width and 3.8m deep, with an external diameter of about 55m. The material from the ditch was cast into the interior to create a rampart of about 17m in diameter. There is an entrance to the south west. The castle may have been that recorded as built in 1136 when King Stephen besieged the Earl of Devon, Baldwin de Redvers in Rougemont Castle. (PastScape(

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX91989330

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 448330
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.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/_places/danes.php
    http://www.exeter.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=2292&p=0
• Books
  • Higham, Robert A., 1999, 'Castles, Fortified Houses and Fortified Towns in the Middle Ages' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p136-43
    Salter, Mike, 1999, The Castles of Devon and Cornwall (Malvern) p61
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p120
    Wall, C., 1906, in Page, Wm (ed), 'Ancient Earthworks' VCH Devon Vol1 p614
    Jenkins, 1806, History and Description of the City of Exeter (Exeter) p359 and note
    Shortt, n.d. [early C19], Collectanea Curiosa Antiqua Dumnonia (Exeter) p21-2
• Journal Articles
  • Hope, I., 1994 - 5, 'Exeter - Danes Castle' Current Archaeology Vol141 p348-
    Henderson, C.G., 1993-4, Castle Studies Group Newsletter No7 p19-21
    Higham, R.A., 1988, 'Devon Castles: an annotated list' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol46 p142-9
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Vatchell, E.T., 1966, 'Exeter Castle; its background and history' Transactions of the Devonshire Association Vol98 p327-48
    Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol33 p106-12 [listed as seigework]
    Hutchinson, P.O., 1862, 'on the hill fortresses, tumuli, and some other other antiquities of Eastern Devon' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol18 p53-66 esp63-4 http://www.archive.org/stream/journalofbritish18brit#page/63/mode/1up
• 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