More information : (Area centred at SU 72950557) Warblington Castle (GT) (Remains of). (1)
Additional references (2, 2a,2b,2c, 2d)
The 'Castle' is said to have been built, or a license to crenellate the existing manor granted, c1340 and the foundations of some buildings surrounding the courtyard date possibly from the 14th century. They are surmounted by 1-4 courses of Tudor brick and the gatehouse ruins are of that date, built of brick faced with Isle of Wight stone, the mouldings and ornament of Caen stone.
It would seem that the 'castle' was uninhabitable in 1695 and after the siege of 1644 it had probably been dismantled. (3)
The 'castle' - a fortified homestead - has been totally destroyed, its site occupied by the modern farm. This house and the ruins of the gatehouse, which has a turret of early Tudor brick, are surrounded by a square moat, the traces of which, on the S and E sides, are to be seen as a very shallow depression. Along the N side the moat is still quite deep and apparently turned south at the modern pond. Along the N side, outside the moat, is a steep-sided, clay rampart, c8 feet high, and 11-12ft above the bottom of the moat, with a flat top 6-8 feet wide. At its NE end is a square 'expansion', 30 x 30 feet and at the NW end it stops abruptly in a line with the gateway. In the field to the westward, there are traces, possibly of former buildings flanking the main approach. At the end of the 18th century, the field to the north is described as 'surrounded with a mound and fosse as deep as that of the castle'.
The plan of the earthworks would seem to have been a 'double bailey' of moat and rampart and surrounding this a further rampart represented by the N hedge, the W and S roads and the E stream. (4)
The 'castle' was probably built by the Countess of Salisbury, 1514-26. (5)
In 1518 a large quantity of building material, including 11tons of Caen stone and 210,000 bricks, was used at Warblington Manor. (7-7a)
Foundations, believed to be of the Dining Hall, exist in the paddock to the south of the present house, and paving stones have been ploughed up there. Other foundations have been uncovered beneath the lawn. (8)
The sole visible remains of Warblington Castle are the gatehouse (see GP's), and traces of the moat (see 1:2500 cut-out). The earthwork in the field to the north (see Authy 3) has the appearance of an old river bed, and is probably a natural feature. The remains are as described in Authy 3.
Gatehouse and remains of moat - no change; published 1:2500 survey revised.
No traces of further earthworks were seen in the field to the N, nor in the field to the W. In the second field to the N, centred SU 72900575, natural slopes lead down to a stream, beyond which, the ground to the N has been lowered, probably by gravel digging. There is further evidence of old gravel workings in the S half of the field. Two low, broad, parallel banks running N-S to the S of the stream with a hollow-way running W from the S end, may be the result of, or associated with, gravel working, but do not appear to be connected with the moated site. (9)
SU 729055. Listed as the deserted Medieval village of Warblington. No further information to add to above to suggest a settlement. Nothing visible on available air photographs. (10)
No change. (11)
Cathcart King states that this is not a fortified building. (12)
Listed. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (13-14)
Scheduled. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (15-16)
Built of brick, faced with hewn stone. Front was probably to the south west where gateway and tower are now standing. The tower at present is become a pigeon house. Conjectured to have been built at the time of Henry VII. May have been a strong house. The original building and fortress included within the fosse might be near an acre. The fosse must be at least 10ft deep. The NE and NW sides of the castle are covered by a field about 5 acres. The field is surrounded by a mound (8 ft) and fosse as deep as that of the castle. The whole is now overgrown with coppice wood.
Source quotes from 1633 extract from the tenure of the manor, which at the time belonged Lord Richard Cotton: "The site of the principle manor house of Warblington...well moated about, built of bricks and stones. Built square in length 200ft and breadth 200ft with a fair court within and buildings round....with a fair gallery and diverse chambers of great count, two towers covered with lead and spacious hall, parlour and Great chamber....and chapel." (17)
In reference to authority 2a, The VCH states that it was granted to the Montagus in the 14th century, from whom it passed to the Nevills in the 15th century. The house no longer exists and the only remains are a tall octagonal turret which once formed the angle of the entrance gateway dating from the early 16th century, probably the time of Margaret Countess of Salisbury, who took possession in 1526. (18) |