Lidgate Castle

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Masonry Castle

There are masonry footings remains

NameLidgate Castle
Alternative NamesLydgate; Liegate
Historic CountrySuffolk
Modern AuthoritySuffolk
1974 AuthoritySuffolk
Civil ParishLidgate

Lidgate Castle, a motte and bailey castle with later manorial enclosures, is situated on a natural rise centred TL 7212 5819. The work comprises a motte 20.0m square, with a mound 2.0m high on the SE side, but no indications of building foundations (area now afforested). The motte is surrounded by a steeply scarped ditch averaging 5.0m deep by 20.0m wide with an outer bank 3.2m high on the NW side. This bank, incorporating two sub-circular platforms at TL 7205 5820, widens on the N and E side to 9.0m by 4.8m high and runs into the main bailey which is now occupied by the 13th-14th century church. (The break at TL 7216 5819 is later). The bailey was approached by the original entrance at TL 7210 5811 which gave access to the motte across a cause-way. Traces of flint rubble walling, c1.0m thick are visible at TL 7208 5819 but this has been faced by coursed flints and modern brick and may be later. The bailey ditch has been destroyed by modern buildings on all but the west side. Two further enclosures are visible; one centred at TL 7220 5811, lies to the east of the bailey surrounded by a waterfilled ditch 2.0m deep. Only the SE angle now remains, the rest having been filled in recent years. The other enclosure, on the gentle slope below the castle, surrounds a non defensive area between Bailey Pond and the castle entrance. The irregular ditch on the west side measures about 14.0m wide by 1.6m deep but fades towards the pond and has been destroyed by modern boundary banks on the east side. These two enclosures are probably later manorial works. (PastScape–ref. Field Investigators Comments-F1 PAS 23-FEB-76)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTL721581
Latitude52.1952095031738
Longitude0.517019987106323
Eastings572120
Northings258190
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Liddiard, Robert, 2005, 'The Castle Landscape of Anglo-Norman East Anglia: A Regional Perspective' in Harper-Bill, C. (ed), Medieval East Anglia (Woodbridge, Boydell) p. 33-51
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 81
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) (Shown on map of fortified houses of East Anglia)
  • 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. 146-47
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 458
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 254
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 225
  • Pevsner, N., 1961, Buildings of England: Suffolk (London, Penguin) p. 306
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England
  • Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol. 1 p. 600-1 (plan) online copy

Journals

  • Brown, R. Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol. 74 p. 249-280 (Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 90-121) view online copy (subscription required)
  • Redstone, V.B. (?or Warren, F.E.), 1904, 'Lidgate, its castle and manor (Communication, 27 Jul 1904)' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 12.1 p. 132-134 online copy
  • 1863, 'Proceedings at the Meetings of the Institute' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 3 p. 413 online copy

Primary Sources

  • Stubbs, W. (ed), 1880, The Minor Works comprising the Gesta regum with its continuation, the Actus pontificum, and the Mappa mundi, by Gervase, the Monk of Canterbury (London: Longman Rolls series 73) Vol. 2 p. 427 online copy