Woodhouse Castle |
| Hob Uid: 207644 | |
Location :
Wiltshire
Horningsham
|
| Grid Ref : ST8010042050 |
| Summary : Fortified medieval manor house surviving as rectangular earthworks and masonry in the south and east. It came into the possession of the Arundels in the 16th century. The first attack on the house by Parliamentary forces is not recorded but in 1644 it was garrisoned for Parliamentary forces, besieged and taken by Royalists. The ruined house was never re-inhabited. The number of men hanged after the capitulation is said to be 12 or 14, mostly clothiers. Their burial place was recorded as a rough tumulus a short distance from the ruins, called Clothiers' Grave, this can no longer be located. The current building on the site is a late 18th/early 19th century farmhouse said to contain old stonework from the manor house. |
More information : (Centred: ST 80104205) Woodhouse Castle (GT) (remains of). (1)
Woodhouse was the ancient castellated manor house of the Vernuns which came into the possession of the Arundels in the 16th c. The first attack on the house by parliament forces is not recorded but in 1644 it was garrisoned for the Parliamentary forces, beseiged and taken by Royalists and the ruined house was never re-inhabited. The number of men hanged after the capitulation is said by Daniell to be 14, but Hoare says '12', mostly clothiers'. Their burial place is a rough tumulus a short distance from the ruins. This is called 'Clothiers' Grave' by Daniell. Hoare mentions that the ground plan of the house may be traced, with foundations and one circular room. M.O.W. record a complex of stone walls visible in 1955.
The late 18th/early 19th c. farmhouse is said by M.H.L.G. to contain old stonework from the 'castle' buildings. (2-5)
A levelled area which forms the interior of the house is enclosed on the N.W. and N.E. by a strong bank. Fragmentary ruins consist of cellar walls 2.5m deep and the base of a circular tower-like structure with walling 2.0m thick.
A depression abutting the N.E.bank is described by the O.S. as a moat but is probably a dry fishpond.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
'Clothiers' Grave' cannot be located. The present farmhouse may contain re-used material in its rubble walls but nothing of note. (6)
Scheduled listing. (7)
Listed by Cathcart King. (8) |