See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Possible site of a medieval castle.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Field boundaries of a pre-medieval Enclosure and Traditional U-Shaped Listed Farm Buildings (Grade II) at Blegberry Farm, Bideford

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22NW/4/3
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS22NW7

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Pearse Chope, R., 1902, The Early History of the Manor of Hartland, 418/54 (Article in Serial). SDV6735.

Chope, R. P., 1940, The Book of Hartland, 49 (Monograph). SDV340768.

Jope, E. M., 1961, Studies in Building History, 192-222 (Monograph). SDV1938.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978 - 1980, SS22NW7 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV7376.

Site visit 30th November 1978. Chope mentions a castle that was near Blegberry and that there are still fields called Castletown Mead and Castle Gate, while 207 acres of arable and 33.5 acres of pasture 'at the Castle near Blegbury' are recorded in the time of Henry VIII. The Tithe Map identifies nine fields incorporating the element 'castle', all but one grouped within a quarter mile of SS238262, (specific names below). This profusion of names occupies the top and gentle north and south slopes of a broad ridge, over half a mile from Blegberry farmhouse. The whole area is currently under pasture and neither the field patterns nor the surface provides any indications of an earthwork. However, both the topographic situation and the allusions by name and document strongly suggest that a prehistoric earthwork of the defended settlement type formerly existed in the vicinity.
Centred SS23872648: five fields: Castle, Castles, Great Castle, Great Castles and Wester Castle. SS23542614: Castle Gate. SS24862599: Pil Castles. Centred SS24052601: Two fields, Little Castles and Great Catles. (Castletown Mead is not described).

Higham, R. A., 1979, The Castles of Medieval Devon, 148-151,48,261,278,304, 317-8 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV336189.

Possible site of medieval castle. A licence to crenellate was granted to Alan of Hartland in 1201, to enable him to defend his land against William Marsh of Lundy; the early 13th century castle was sited close to or in Blegberry; a documentary reference occurs in 1301 to 'land at the castle' but there is no physical trace of the castle today, and its medieval form is unknown. There are 16th century references to tenements with 'castle' names. It seems likely that the castle was sited here, although a number of 'castle' field names occur further west. Other details: Figs 47, 48.

Timms, S. C., 1980, Blegberry Farm (Worksheet). SDV7363.

Higham, R. A., 1988, Devon Castles: An Annotated List, 145 (Article in Serial). SDV341278.

Higham, R. A. + Freeman, J. P., 1996, Devon Castles (Draft Text), 7, Gazetteer (Monograph). SDV354350.

In 1201 King John granted Alan of Hartland permission to fortify a residence against attacks by the piratical de Mariscos of Lundy. The castle itself is not mentioned in any other documents although lands 'at the castle' are recorded in 1301. The exact site of the castle, however, is unknown, although Blegberry seems the most likely location as a number of field names contain a 'castle' element. Blegberry Farm also has the remains of a 17th century fortified enclosure, built at another time when pirated troubled the Devon coast. This enclosure could possibly overlie the medieval castle. Its high position with wide views certainly seems an ideal location to counter a seabourne threat.

Hobbs, S., 2006, The Saxon Boundaries of Hartland Hundred (Article in Serial). SDV340918.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 19 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Documentary references exist to early C13 castle sited in or close to Blegberry but site and form of castle unknown. This seems a likely site for the castle, although a number of "castle" field names occur further west.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.