Lydford Norman Ringwork

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; The Fort

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

Small C11/early C12 fort of half-ring work form, within the town defences of the Anglo-Saxon burh of Lydford. It is defended on two sides by steep ravines and on the third by a rubble rampart and rock-cut ditch. It was excavated in 1963 when the burnt out remains of five timber and earth buildings were revealed. These were set close together behind the rampart, their inward facing ends being flanked by deeply set, rough stone paving. Finds included C11/earlyC12 pottery and a coin of the first issue of Stephen. Precursor of stone castle.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX50828470

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape Defra ELS number; 440695

• Web site links
  • http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.278
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/lydford.html
• 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) p70-2
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p59-60
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p277, 279
    Drage, C., 1987, 'Urban castles' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p117-32
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p117
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p258
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Wall, C., 1906, in Page, Wm (ed), 'Ancient Earthworks' VCH Devon Vol1 p619 [a misleading account]
• Journal Articles
  • Higham, R.A., 1988, 'Devon Castles: an annotated list' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol46 p142-9
    Higham, R.A., 1982, 'Early Castles in Devon' Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p101-116
    Addyman, P.V. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, D.G.(eds), 1967, 'Medieval Britain in 1966: I Pre-Conquest' Medieval Archaeology Vol11 p263 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Addyman, P.V. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, D.G.(eds), 1966, 'Medieval Britain in 1965: II Post-conquest' Medieval Archaeology Vol10 p196-7 [Plan] [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Addyman, P.V. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, D.G.(eds), 1965, 'Medieval Britain in 1964. II. Post-Conquest' Medieval Archaeology Vol9 p170-1, 194 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol33 p106-12
• Guidebooks
  • Saunders, A.D., 1982 (2edn), Lydford: Saxon Town and Castle (HMSO)
• Other sources and unpublished works (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Newman, P., 2000, The Town and Castles Earthworks at Lydford, Devon (English Heritage Survey Report)