Castle
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Hedingham Castle

 County

Essex, England (7 castles) 

 Categories

Stone / Norman Square Keep / Baronial castle

 Remains

Not complete but much survives

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Location51.9928,0.6014 (Google Maps)
///stars.proposals.recording		 DirectionsDirections via Google Maps
 County

Essex, England (7 castles) 

 Categories

Stone / Norman Square Keep / Baronial castle

 Remains

Not complete but much survives

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Location
51.9928,0.6014
///stars.proposals.recording
 Directions
Directions via Google Maps
edingham Castle was built in around 1140 by Aubrey de Vere an Essex land owner. All that remains of the castle is the keep which is rectangular in plan and stands to a height of 110 feet. In places the walls are 12 feet thick. The keep now stands alone but once it would have been surrounded by other builds and a curtain wall. The keep originally had a fore-building that acted as the main entrance, but like many of the other existing Keep Towers, this section has been removed. The keep is similar to Rochester and could have been designed and built by the same architect. The de Veres earned the title of Earls of Oxford by assisting the Empress Matilda with her cause against King Stephen during the Civil War.

The interior of the keep is very well preserved and on the second floor is a large banqueting hall whose timber roof is supported by a massive Norman semi-circular arch with a span of 28 feet, one of the largest of its kind. It is still possible to walk around a gallery set within the thickness of the walls to overlook the banqueting hall below.

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Hedingham Castle keep floor layouts

[9]
The top floor provided sleeping space or private chambers for the Lord of the castle. Again there are a series of small rooms built into the thickness of the walls.

[8]
The ground floor of the castle was used for storage and could only be reached via the spiral stairs.

[7]
A passage built into the second floor walls provides extra light and a viewing location.

[6]
Dotted lines show the position of the arch supporting the roof of the hall.

[5]
Small rooms are built into the thickness of the walls.

[4]
The main hall of the castle extends upwards two floors. A large arch provides support for theoof of the hall.

[3]
The one and only spiral staircase in this castle extends to all four floors.

[2]
The entrance to the castle is on the first floor.

[1]
Fore-building: This section of the castle has been destroyed but would have offered protection for the main entrance on the first floor.
Click here for more Information about Hedingham Castle's floor plans

Timeline

1140

...

Construction of Hedingham Castle

Built by the de Vere family, land owners in Essex.

1220

July 7

Stephen Langton returns to England

Stephen Langton returned to England and resumed the role of Archbishop of Canterbury. He performed a ceremony in Canterbury in which relics from St. Thomas Becket were put in a tomb. The 7th of July became St. Thomas of Canterbury's Day; a major holy day.

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Selection of references used:

  • 1: E.B.D'Auvergne, The English Castles, 1926, T.Werner Laurie Ltd. (1926)

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    1: Location

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    2: Alignment

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    3: Size

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