Abinger Castle
| Abinger Castle | |
|
Surrey | |
|---|---|
 Abinger motte | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ11394597 |
| Location: | 51°12’8"N, 0°24’25"W |
| History | |
| Information | |
| Condition: | Earthworks remain |
Abinger Castle is an earthwork motte and bailey that in its day was topped with a small wooden fortress.[1] It is to be found in Abinger Common, between Guildford and Dorking in Surrey.
History
Abinger Castle was founded by William Fitz-Ansculf c. 1100.[1][2] The castle was initially built of wood, and was rebuilt in 1140. It had a longer life than most castles of its type, surviving until 1153.[3]
Surrounding Area
Manor
Abinger Manor is a grade II listed manor house located south of the motte.[4] The manor was recorded in the Domesday Book as land belonging to William fitz Ansculf.[5] It was re-established in 1688 by John Evelyn and was rebuilt in c. 1872 using some old materials following a new design by Alfred Waterhouse.
Church
St James' Church was first established in the 12th century and remains due east of the motte. The earliest extant sections of the church are its chancel and north chapel, rebuilt c. 1220. Bombed during Second World War, it was restored in 1950 by Frederick Etchells. The church is a grade II* listed building.[6]
Mesolithic site
The remains of a Mesolithic pit-dwelling are to be found near the motte, representing one of the oldest known and best preserved man-made dwelling remains in Britain. The site is also notable for containing many examples of microlith assemblages. The site is a scheduled monument.[7]
Excavation
The castle site was excavated by Brian Hope-Taylor between 1947 and 1949.[1] These excavations revealed the postholes of a wooden tower, a horizontal bridge connecting the motte to the bailey, and a surrounding palisade. The central motte remains, suspected to be of approximately the same height as it originally was,[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fry, Plantagenet Somerset (1980). The David & Charles Book of Castles. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 176. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1012579: Motte Castle at Abinger Manor (Scheduled ancient monument entry)
- ↑ Johnson, Paul (1989). Castles of England, Scotland and Wales. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 13. ISBN 0-297-83162-3.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1028827: Abinger Manor (Grade II listing)
- ↑ Domesday book: A Complete Translation. Williams, Ann. Martin, G. H.. London: Penguin Books. 2003. pp. 85. ISBN 0-14-051535-6. OCLC 54415956. https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/54415956.
- ↑ St James Church National Heritage List 1378082: Church of St James
- ↑ National Heritage List 1005927: Mesolithic site west of Abinger Manor (Scheduled ancient monument entry)
- ↑ "Abinger Motte". CastleUK.Net. Archived from the original on 3 January 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080103193707/http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/187/abingermotte.html. Retrieved 27 November 2007.