Castlefacts³

Newport Castle, Essex

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Other/Unknown), and also as a Possible Masonry Castle, and also as a Rejected Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

Name	Newport Castle, Essex
Alternative Names	Wigingamere
Historic Country	Essex
Modern Authority	Essex
1974 Authority	Essex
Civil Parish	Newport

Site of Castle marked on 1881 OS map. Said to be some slight banking remaining. Was a royal manor and market town until superseded by Saffron Walden in C12. Supposed site is entirely feasible overlooking ford on main road, although has been said to be in a poor defensive position as is overlooked by higher ground. Documentary evidence refers to a castle - Gerard de Turnwall surrendered the town and castle of Newport to King John in 1207. Excavations on the site of the new school hall in 1959 proved negative. A geophysical survey in the grounds of Newport Grammar School (on the higher ground around the school) revealed one anomaly which may represent masonry. The resistivity survey revealed an area of high resistance near to the footpath interpreted as an area of masonry or tile, or possibly hardstanding. An excavation on the site of the Grammar School proved inconclusive. Nurse suggests that the more probable site is near the present Newport House, where a 'stone hall' is recorded as having stood. In addition Henry II built a series of jails across England in order to establish law and order; in Newport the jail was granted 9s.10d in 1176/7. (Derived from PastScale and Unlocking Essex's Past)

Gatehouse Comments

It was usual at this period for the jail to be attached to the manor house and it is possible, as Nurse suggests, that the jail and the 'castle' recorded by Holman were the same building. More modern ideas of castles, which recognise the term relates to a range of diverse buildings not just military establishments would certainly include this as a castle.It should also be noted that Jeremy Haslam did suggest Newport as the site of the C10 burh of Wigingamere built by Edward the Elder in May, 917, although he revised and withdrew this suggestion in 1997.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

373861

County Historic Environment Record

unlockingessex.essexcc.gov.uk/uep/custom_pages/monument_detail.asp?content_page_id=68&previous_page_id=48&monument_id=1363

OS Map Grid Reference	TL520344
Latitude	51.9873199462891
Longitude	0.212479993700981
Eastings	552020
Northings	234410