Castlefacts³

Downton Castle Meadow

Has been described as a Rejected Siege Work

There are no visible remains

Name	Downton Castle Meadow
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Wiltshire
Modern Authority	Wiltshire
1974 Authority	Wiltshire
Civil Parish	Downton

A siege castle was built against Downton in 1148. The site has been associated with a site known as Castle Meadow, although it could possibly be associated with a ringwork and double bailey constructed within the Iron Age hillfort at Godshill, 5.5 kms to the south-west. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

See Downton.Castle Meadow is an identification Creighton writes which is 'almost certainly erroneous'. The actual site is probably a ringwork and double bailey constructed within the Iron Age hillfort at Godshill, 5.5 kms to the south-west (SU16661617 in Hampshire). A Saxon gravel pit, later used as a rubbish pit, was excavated at Castle Meadow in 1956-7. The fill of the pit contained Mesolithic and later worked flint and Roman and Medieval pottery. The site has been well excavated and any possibility of a castle here can be rejected. The castle place-name possibly refers to a Roman villa.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

1392242

County Historic Environment Record

www.wiltshire.gov.uk/artsheritageandlibraries/museumhistoryheritage/wiltshireandswindonhistoricenvironmentrecord/wshermap.htm?a=d&id=289

OS Map Grid Reference	SU179211
Latitude	50.9890289306641
Longitude	-1.74633002281189
Eastings	417960
Northings	121100