Monument record MDO895 - Chideock Castle, Chideock

The earthwork remains of a moated site of manorial status and associated enclosures, fishponds, building platforms and terraces within the field knowns as Ruins Field to the north of Chideock village. The site is visible on aerial photographs and lidar imagery and was digitally plotted during the Marshwood Vale NMP.

According to Parker, the licence to crenellate was given in the 44th (year of) Edward III and was renewed by Richard II. <1> Chideock Castle was demolished during the Civil War. A gate with a ruined tower on each side, and another tower at the NW angle, still stood in 1733 when pictured by Buck (See illust), but by 1756 only a ruined tower at the SE angle remained, although heaps of ruins indicated that there has been a tower at every angle. On the south, in front of the place where the gate stood, were the remains of a bridge. The castle was supplied with water by leaden pipes from a spring at the foot of the high hill east of the village. <2> Chideock Castle consists of a square moated enclosure with outworks to the west and south. The most, now dry, has been largely filled in on the N, and there are remains of foundation-mounds etc on the island. There is a strong outer bank to the W and along part of the S side. There are further works to the W, including a series of sinkings or basins along the stream which may have served to feed a mill. The gatehouse depicted by Buck was destroyed in 1741. <4> The remains are generally as described by Authy 3. The moat is very strong on the E, S,and southern half of the W side, averaging 15.0m wide by 2.5m deep. It is mutilated on the N side, where the inner slope may still be traced, but there are few remains of the outer slope. The ground between the moat and the hedge to the N is occupied by what appear to be five short medieval type strip lynchets. No definite original entrance may be seen, and the causeway crossing the moat at its SE angle is modern. No trace of building is visible in the hammocky interior, which is highest on the SE. Outworks on the W and S are as shown on the plan. Surveyed at 1.2500. <5> The manor of Chideock passed to John Gervase in the reign of Edward I, and it was he who was granted a licence to crenellate his hall. He constructed the stately building of stone with later additions in brick which was still visible in the 18th century. With its abandonment in the 17th century the Manor moved to a site to the NW, still occupied. The platform, within the moat is 1 1/2 acres in size, but the whole complex covers about 8 acres and is enclosed by a bank and hedge which may mark the original boundary. A narrowing of the moat to 11/2 metres at its NW corner may suggest the use of a sluice. Many earthworks surround the moat, including fishponds, enclosures and platforms. Channels run from the moat to two, or possibly three fishponds at the bottom of the slope to the W. The slope to the north of the moat has been terraced, possibly for agricultural use, and platforms probably of associated buildings lie to the S. The bridge across the moat, mentioned by Hutchins, was probably situated where the SE causeway lies now. Slight platforms marking the sites of the towers are still discernible at the corners of the enclosure and numerous other internal earthworks can be seen. <6> Masonry observed near the SE corner of the moat may be interpreted as the remains of a curtain wall. A wooden cross standing near the centre of the site (Shown as 'Meml' on OS 6" 1968) commemorates seven Roman Catholic martyrs executed circa 1590. <7> Listed by Cathcart King. <8> The earthwork remains of a moated site of manorial status and associated enclosures, fishponds, building platforms and terraces within the field knowns as Ruins Field to the north of Chideock village. The site is visible on aerial photographs and lidar imagery <9-11> and was digitally plotted during the Marshwood Vale NMP. The remains of medieval strip fields lie to the north and west of the moat.

Record last edited

Jan 1 2023 3:44PM