Caistor Castle Hill

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte)

There are no visible remains

NameCaistor Castle Hill
Alternative NamesCastor; Castram in Lindesia
Historic CountryLincolnshire
Modern AuthorityLincolnshire
1974 AuthorityLincolnshire
Civil ParishCaistor

Castle Hill, Caistor. In 1143 Stephen fortified 'castellum meum apud Castram in Liudesia' and it stood a siege. Whether this refers only to a refurbishment of the Roman walled enclosure, or to a fortification on Castle Hill that might have used the whole or part of the enclosure as a bailey is not known, but the latter might account for the alignment of the W end of Church Street (Everson 1982). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Rickard cites post mortem inquistions for Joan princess of Wales, in 1385, and Thomas de Holland, earl of Kent, in 1397 for a castle in Caistor in Lincolnshire. What this holding was is unclear but probably the income from lands and a simple manor house, for a steward, somewhere in the parish, possibly at this site. King records Castor as been suggested as the site of a medieval castle but rejects this as Roman only. The difficulty here is that the Latin name of the town Castram derived from the Saxon caester is readily confused with castle. However the 1143 document where King Stephen writes "quando noviter firmeravi castellum meum apud Castram in Lindesia" (when at my newly fortified castle at Castrum in Lindsley) is remarkably clear and the reason for King dismissing this is unclear.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTA115013
Latitude53.4965896606445
Longitude-0.320639997720718
Eastings511500
Northings401300
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Michael G Shapland, 2017, 'Anglo-Saxon towers of lordship and the origins of the castle in England' in Dawn M Hadley and Christopher Dyer, The Archaeology of the 11th Century Continuities and Transformations (Routledge) p. 104-119
  • Osborne, Mike, 2010, Defending Lincolnshire: A Military History from Conquest to Cold War (The History Press) p. 32
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 69 (slight)
  • Roffe, David, 1993, 'Castles' in Bennett, S. and Bennett, N. (eds), An Historical Atlas of Lincolnshire (University of Hull Press) p. 40-1
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 264, p. 265 (reject)
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 200
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 353
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)

Primary Sources

  • Cronne, H.A. and Davis R.H.C. (eds), 1968, Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum, 1066–1154 Vol. 3 Regesta regis Stephani ac Mathildis imperatricis ac Gaufridi et Henrici ducum Normannorum, 1135-54 p. 243 No. 655 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. 290
  • 1974, Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (HMSO) Vol. 16 no. 328
  • 1988, Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (HMSO) Vol. 17 no. 821
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1905, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry IV (1401-05) Vol. 2 p. 260 online copy

Other

  • Everson, P., 1982, Unpublished archive text, West Lindsey Project, RCHME