Offton Castle

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are uncertain remains

NameOffton Castle
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySuffolk
Modern AuthoritySuffolk
1974 AuthoritySuffolk
Civil ParishOffton

Offton Castle. A square area with an abrupt escarpment 14ft above the water, is surrounded by a moat 35ft in breadth: to the E of the entrance on the N the moat narrows to 28ft, apparently by the subsidence and consequent spreading of the mount at this point. On the S side of the exterior of the moat are evidences of another embanked field enclosure. This feature has the appearance of an early befossed mount adapted to the later medieval defence. (PastScape–ref. VCH)

upon a clay hill lie the ruines of an ancient Castle, which they say Offa built after he had wickedly murdered Aethelbert King of the East-Angles (Camden)

Gatehouse Comments

This is a good sized square moat and the records of it having some antiquity (even if not quite back to Offa) certainly suggest a possibility of a castle, recut in a fashionable square style at a later date.

- Philip Davis

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 ReferenceTM065491
Latitude52.1020317077637
Longitude1.01418995857239
Eastings606520
Northings249150
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 83
  • Martin, Edward, 1999 (3edn), 'Medieval Castles' in Dymond, David and Martin, Edward (eds) An Historical Atlas of Suffolk (Lavenham) p. 58-9
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 459
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 223
  • Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol. 1 p. 592 online copy
  • Redstone, 1908, Memories of Old Suffolk (London) p. 33-4

Antiquarian

Journals

  • Liddiard, Robert, 2006, 'Early castles in the Medieval Landscape of East Anglia' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 243-50