Marshwood Castle

Marshwood Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Marshwood, Dorset, within the Vale of Marshwood. It was built by William de Mandeville following his elevation to Baron Marshwood in 1205 by King John, and is first recorded as a built castle in 1215. The castle is no longer standing, but ruins remain and they are a scheduled monument.

Honour of Marshwood

The castle was the Head of the Honour and Barony of Mandeville of Marshwood (usually referred to as the Honour of Marshwood), which had extensive land holdings across the South West.

Remains

The remains of the castle are within the working Lodge House Farm, with barns and agricultural buildings encroaching on the earthworks. There remains the lower walls of a fortified house, which might date from the 1350s – 1360s.

There are also various other remains around the site, including the former St Mary's Chapel, and various earthworks and buildings.

Designation

The remains of the castle are a scheduled monument.

The specific walls of the fortified house are listed at Grade II*.

The castle appears on the Heritage at Risk Register.

References

1. Marshwood
2. List of castles in England
3. Marshwood Vale
4. Geoffrey de Mandeville, Baron of Marshwood
5. St Mary's Church, Marshwood
6. Lambert's Castle Hill
7. Maps of castles in England by county: B–K
8. Philip Colfox
9. Dunster Castle
10. Grade II* listed buildings in West Dorset
11. Castle Inn
12. English feudal barony
13. West Dorset
14. Lambert's Castle
15. 2024 Dorset Council election
16. Dartmouth, Devon
17. List of hills of Dorset
18. List of nobles and magnates of England in the 13th century
19. Nigel Lindsay
20. Geography of Dorset