Wingfield Castle

Has been described as a Possible Masonry Castle, and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are major building remains

NameWingfield Castle
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySuffolk
Modern AuthoritySuffolk
1974 AuthoritySuffolk
Civil ParishWingfield

Remains of fortified manor house. Late C14, for Michael de la Pole, who was granted licence to crenellate in 1385. An irregular rectangle on plan, surrounded by a moat. Only the south curtain wall is intact, with a fine gatehouse, not quite central, and polygonal corner bastions. Flint rubble with stone dressings. Red brick embattlements, mostly rebuilt. Below the parapet a string course with gargoyles. Lancet and loop windows to ground floor, 2-light Decorated-style windows above. Gatehouse has 3-storey polygonal corner towers with flushwork panelling at the base. Outer entrance has moulded segmental pointed arch, dying into the imposts. Moulded inner arch with original gates and wicket gate. In the jambs are square panels with the Wingfield and de la Pole arms and a portcullis groove. To courtyard a 4- centred arch. Inside the gateway 4 doorways with 2-centred arches. Evidence for vaulted roof. First-floor guardroom has original fireplace with stone buttresses terminating in corbels carved as human heads. 2-storey curtain walls; on the inner side there are several fireplaces and a piscina where living rooms and the chapel once stood. Foundations of the missing curtain walls and bastions can be traced. The present house dates from the mid C16 and was built into the remains of the western curtain wall. It is part stone-built and partly timber framed. (Listed Building Report)

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTM222772
Latitude52.3478507995605
Longitude1.26145994663239
Eastings622210
Northings277240
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Peggy All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Robert Liddiard, 2015, 'Reconstructing Wingfield Castle' in Peter Bloore and Edward Martin (eds), Wingfield College and its Patrons: Piety and Prestige in medieval Suffolk (Boydell and Brewer) p. 77-96 (other papers in the volume likely to also be of interest)
  • Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 305, 409
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 88
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 160
  • 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. 238
  • Brown, R.Allen, 1989, Castles from the Air (Cambridge University Press) p. 233-4
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 459
  • Pevsner, N., 1961, Buildings of England: Suffolk (London, Penguin) p. 457
  • Aldwell, S.W.H., 1926, Wingfield: Its Church, Castle and College (republished 1995) p. 7-34
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol. 1 p. 320, 622 (plan) online copy
  • Copinger, W.A., 1909, Manors of Suffolk Vol. 4 p. 108-113 (tenurial history) online copy
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 1 p. 286-7 online copy
  • Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol. 2 (London) p. 174-6 online copy
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 298, 419 online copy
  • Buck, Samuel and Nathaniel, 1774, Buck's Antiquities (London) Vol. 2 p. 276

Antiquarian

Journals

  • Coulson, C., 1994, 'Freedom to Crenellate by Licence - An Historiographical Revision' Nottingham Medieval Studies Vol. 38 p. 111
  • Coulson, Charles, 1993 Aug, 'Specimens of Freedom to Crenellate by Licence' Fortress: The castles and fortifications quarterly Vol. 18 p. 3-15 (reprinted in Liddiard, Robert (ed), 2016, Late Medieval Castles (Boydell Press) p. 221-240)
  • 1913, Country Life Vol. 33 p. 952-8
  • Manning, C.R., 1889, 'Wingfield Castle. (8 Jun 1888)' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol. 7.1 p. xxxiii online copy

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1897, Calendar of Patent Rolls Richard II (1381-85) Vol. 2 p. 555 online copy