Castlefacts³

Woodstock 'adulterine' castle

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Other/Unknown)

There are no visible remains

Name	Woodstock 'adulterine' castle
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Oxfordshire
Modern Authority	Oxfordshire
1974 Authority	Oxfordshire
Civil Parish	Woodstock

In 1436 a toft and croft at the north end of Oxford Street extended eastwards to 'Castle Wall', (Magd. Coll. Mun., Woodstock deeds no. 2, of which missing words are supplied by ibid. EP 110/35) and a street, possibly the later Upper Brook Hill, leading to the same feature was mentioned c. 1461; (Boro. Mun. 83/1 p 4) there was apparently a small earthwork near the north end of Union Street in C19. (O.S. Map ½, 500, Oxon. XXVI. 8 (1876 edn.)) The nature of the 'castle' is unknown: an adulterine castle said to have been built at Woodstock by the Empress Maud may have been merely a fortification of the king's houses in the park. (Blenheim Mun., plans in wooden chest.) (VCH)

Gatehouse Comments

The place name evidence is suggestive and 'castle wall' does not seem to be a feature likely to be a holding of a castle but overall the evidence seems weak and a site in the Woodstock Palaces complex seems more likely for the recorded 'castle'. However, it may be this was a bailiffs house for manorial administration before the town was incorporated.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

623310

County Historic Environment Record

www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/historic-environment-record

OS Map Grid Reference	SP446169
Latitude	51.8491287231445
Longitude	-1.35344994068146
Eastings	444620
Northings	216910