Worcester siege castle, Diglis

Has been described as a Possible Siege Work

There are no visible remains

NameWorcester siege castle, Diglis
Alternative NamesDigley
Historic CountryWorcestershire
Modern AuthorityWorcestershire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishWorcester

Probable site of a siege work erected by King Stephen. Mound removed before 1852. (PastScape)

Siegework, one of two forts supposedly built by King Stephen during a siege of Worcester Castle.

According to Eaton, 'two mounds, one on Henwicke Hill and one on part of Red Hill near Diglis were raised by Stephen to besiege the castle, which was held by the Earl of Mellent (Meulant) but without success'.

Beardsmore quotes the following: 'but as the habit of the king was to start something strenuously and carry it out sluggishly, by the skill of the Earl of Leicester the king's siege forts were destroyed and the besieged skilfully rescued'.

Neither fort has been located. The geographic location here is based on the 1st edition OS mapping, identifying a site near Field Terrace as 'Site of Fort', though the source of this attribution is unknown. (Worcestershire and Worcester City HER)

Gatehouse Comments

This may be the same site as Green Hill. Worcester Castle and city were attacked on several occasions and besieged In 1151 and again in 1264 (and in the C17 English Civil War). However, because siege castles were recorded for the 1151 siege all possible siege mounds get ascribed to 1151.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO851539
Latitude52.1832389831543
Longitude-2.21845006942749
Eastings385160
Northings253910
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 508 (only records 2 siege castle)
  • Anon, 1829, A Concise History and description of the City and Cathedral of Worcester (Worcester: T Eaton) p. 23 online copy

Journals

  • Beardsmore, C., 1980, 'Documentary evidence for the history of Worcester's city defences' Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society (ser3) Vol. 7 p. 53-64