The remains of medieval ring and bailey earthworks are situated 430m south-west of Corfe Castle. It is considered likely to be a siege castle built by King Stephen in 1139 when he unsuccessfully besieged the castle at Corfe. A Civil War battery is also thought to have been positioned here during the 17th Century, suggested by it being recorded as 'Cromwell's Battery' on the 1844 Tithe Map. Earthwork remains of this fortification are visible on aerial photographs.
| <1> | SWX1540 - Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Map 6in. 6 inch to 1 mile. 1963. |
| <2> | SDO148 - Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). 1970. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1. Volume Two (South East) Part I. 57-78, 96-98. |
| <3A> | SDO65 - Serial: Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. 1966. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1965. 87. 111. |
| <3> | SWX1202 - Monograph: Penn, K J. 1980. Historic Towns in Dorset. 44-45. |
| <4> | SDO16340 - Monograph: Cathcart-King, D J. 1983. Castellarium anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. 1. |
| <4> | SDO18223 - Serial: Royal Archaeological Institute. 1983. The Archaeological Journal 140. 54-58. |
| <5> | SDO15154 - Unpublished document: Tatler, S and Bellamy, P. 2006. New BT Duct, The Rings, Corfe Castle, Dorset. Archaeological Observations and Recording, September 2006. |
| <6> | SDO14667 - Unpublished document: Wright, D, Fradley, M, and Creighton, O. 2015. The Rings, Corfe Castle, Dorset. Geophysical and Topographical Survey Report.. |
| <6> | SDO20185 - Scheduling record: Department of the Environment. 1986. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Purbeck. 461-473. |
| <7> | SDO13661 - Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 18-FEB-1970. RAF 58/0254 0022. |
| <7> | SWX1290 - Monograph: Newman, J, and Pevsner, N. 1972. The Buildings of England: Dorset. 161-166. |
| <8> | SDO13663 - Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. 26-APR-1989. SY 9582/24 (NMR 4544/10). |
| <8> | SDO16340 - Monograph: Cathcart-King, D J. 1983. Castellarium anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. 1. 126-127. |
| <9> | SDO13141 - Aerial Photograph: Dorset County Council. 2002. VAP. |
| <9> | SDO20497 - Bibliographic reference: McNeill, Tom. 1992. English Heritage book of castles. 48,51,53,126. |
| <10> | SDO13662 - Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. 18-NOV-2005. SY 9581/8 (NMR 24139/29). |
| <10> | SDO18003 - Monograph: Allen Brown, R, Colvin, H M, and Taylor, A J. 1963. The history of the King's Works, Volume 2: the Middle Ages. 616-624. |
| <11> | SDO17434 - Unpublished document: Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East). |
| <11> | SDO20084 - Serial: Fortress Study Group. 1987. Fort: the international journal of fortification and military architecture. 15. 55. |
| <11A> | SDO51 - Serial: Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. 1952. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1951. 73. 76. |
| <12> | SDO14738 - Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. AO52/46/4. |
| <13> | SDO14738 - Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. AO52/46/5. |
| <14> | SDO14738 - Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. CC72/01433 and 01434. |
| <15> | SDO14738 - Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. OS52/F46/4. |
| <16> | SDO14738 - Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. OS52/F46/5. |
| <17> | SDO14739 - Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 456823. |