Mettingham Castle

Has been described as a Certain Fortified Manor House

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameMettingham Castle
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySuffolk
Modern AuthoritySuffolk
1974 AuthoritySuffolk
Civil ParishMettingham

Earthwork and structural remains of a moated, fortified manor house and college of secular priests, the latter extant between 1394 and 1542. A licence to crenellate the manor house was granted in 1342. A document of 1562 describes the site as being enclosed by a stone wall and entered via a gatehouse. Within were stables, servants' lodgings, kitchen, bakehouse, brewhouse, malting house, storehouses, and an aisled hall. This house was probably demolished in C18 and was replaced by a house which was in turn demolished circa 1880. The remains of the fortified house include the gatehouse and part of the curtain wall and barbican. (PastScape)

The olde castell. The olde castell inclosed withe a mote by it selfe, from the mansyon house coñ in length fower score foote, and in breadthe fyftie foot, but that ys utterlye decayed and dyvers of the walles fallen downe, but there remaineth yet a fayer chymney of freestone standinge withe two great barres of Iron holdinge up parte of it. (1562 survey from Redstone, 1903)

The ruins of a fortified manor house. Founded by Sir John de Norwich who was granted licence to crenellate in 1342, the building work being completed by Dame Margaret, his wife. The moated site enclosed about 5 acres of which the castle occupied the northern enclosure. The buildings of the late C14 and C15 monastic college were sited within a smaller moated enclosure to the south of the castle. The chief remains of the castle is the gatehouse in the north wall. This is of flint rubble, with freestone and red brick dressings. 3 storeys with ruinous crenellated parapet. Flanking towers, square to the front and canted back to the side walls. Moulded stone entrance arch, dying at the imposts; there are remains of the barbican and doorways to the machicolated gallery which was above. The archway through the gatehouse was vaulted

To each side of the gatehouse are substantial remains of the northern curtain walls with window openings at 3 levels. Part of the south wall also survives. (Listed Building Report)

Gatehouse Comments

Following consolidation work the remains were removed from the Heritage at Risk Register in 2010.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTM359886
Latitude52.444751739502
Longitude1.47140002250671
Eastings635900
Northings288600
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

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Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

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Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 52° 26' 41.55" Longitude 1° 28' 16.99"

View full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 289
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 82
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 124
  • Martin, Edward, 1999 (3edn), 'Medieval Castles' in Dymond, David and Martin, Edward (eds) An Historical Atlas of Suffolk (Lavenham) p. 58-9
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 236
  • Brown, R.Allen, 1989, Castles from the Air (Cambridge University Press) p. 154-55
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 458
  • Knowles, David and Hadcock, R Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longman) p. 432
  • Pevsner, N., 1961, Buildings of England: Suffolk (London, Penguin) p. 333-4
  • Dickenson, 1957, Little Guide to Suffolk p. 253-4
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol. 1 p. 621 online copy
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 1 p. 283-4 online copy
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 297, 413 online copy
  • Suckling, A., 1846, History and Antiquities of Suffolk (London) Vol. 1 p. 173-5 online transcription
  • Buck, Samuel and Nathaniel, 1774, Buck's Antiquities (London) Vol. 2 p. 274

Journals

  • Guy, Neil, et al, 2011-12, 'CSG Annual Conference April 2011' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 25 p. 79-84
  • Liddiard, Robert, 2006, 'Early castles in the Medieval Landscape of East Anglia' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 243-50
  • < >Martin, E.A., 1990, 'Mettingham Castle: an interpretation of a survey of 1562' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 37.2 p. 115-23 < > online copy
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 143 p. 319
  • Redstone, V.B., 1903, 'Notes on Suffolk Castles.III. Mettingham College and Castle, 1562' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 11.3 p. 315-319 online copy
  • Manning, C.R., 1865, 'Mettingham Castle and College' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 4.2 p. 77-89

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1902, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1343-45) Vol. 6 p. 106 online copy
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) (lists sources for 1272-1422) p. 441-2

Other

  • Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk East of England Register 2016 (London: Historic England) p. 69 (re-entry) online copy
  • English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 East of England (London: English Heritage) p. 70 online copy