astle Rising consists on a square keep built in around 1140 in the middle of large earthworks. This is an excellent example of a twelfth century castle and its defences. The castle was built on an earlier wooden structure, probably a large hall. It was built by Lord William D'Albini who was married to the widow of Henry I, Alice (Adeliza) of Louvain. A small portion of the gatehouse survives and the grooves where the portcullis sat can still be seen. The best way to see the castle is to walk around the top of the earth bank. There are several rooms that you can explore inside the keep. To the south of the keep are the remains of some stone out buildings and to the north are the remains of a church that was built just before the castle.

Castle Rising Key Facts
Categories	[Stone Keep]

This plan shows the lower ground level of the keep at Castle Rising. The entrance to the keep is through an enclosed stairway on the side. The stairway has typical Norman round arches with cushion capitals and reaches up to the first floor. Access to the ground floor is via two spiral staircases in the north-east and south-west corners. The ground floor has an east-west cross wall with a door at its mid point. The north half of the ground floor is subdivided by a series of arches and vaults that support the upper floor. The southern half of the ground floor has a series or arches to support the upper floor.


See Also

• Adeliza (of Louvain)