Ardley Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ardley Castle |
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| Ardley, Oxfordshire, England | |
 Ardley Castle
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| Coordinates | 51°56′30″N 1°13′02″W / 51.9416°N 1.2173°W |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Earthworks only |
Ardley Castle was an old castle located near the village of Ardley in Oxfordshire, England. Today, you can only see parts of its ruins. These include a large oval area about 100 yards (91 meters) across, with a shallow ditch around it. There's also a broken-down moat and some earthworks, which are changes made to the land.
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Ardley Castle: A Look Back
Ardley Castle was a special type of castle called a motte and bailey fortification. This design was very popular in England after the Norman Conquest. It featured a large earth mound, known as a motte, which usually had a wooden or stone tower on top. Below the motte was a walled courtyard, called a bailey. This area held buildings like halls, kitchens, and stables.
Building a Castle in Wartime
Ardley Castle was built in the 12th century. This was a very difficult time in England, known as The Anarchy. It was a civil war between two powerful cousins: King Stephen and Empress Matilda. Both wanted to rule England.
The castle was built on the site of an even older camp, once used by Offa of Mercia, an ancient Anglo-Saxon king. A powerful nobleman named Hugh of Avranches, who was the Earl of Chester, decided to build this castle. He wanted to protect his lands from the chaos and fighting of the civil war.
What is an Adulterine Castle?
Ardley Castle might have been an adulterine castle. This was a castle built without the king's permission. During The Anarchy, many lords built castles to defend themselves or gain more power. King Stephen often struggled to control these unauthorized castles.
The Castle During the Civil War
During the war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, Ardley Castle was sometimes used by Ranulf de Gernon, who was the 4th Earl of Chester. In 1136, the castle was attacked, but the people inside successfully defended it.
The End of Ardley Castle
After Ranulf de Gernon died, the civil war eventually ended. In 1153, a very important agreement was made called the Treaty of Wallingford. One of the main decisions in this treaty was that all adulterine castles, those built without royal permission, should be torn down.
When Henry II became king, he worked to restore order. Ardley Castle was either deliberately pulled down by hand or simply left abandoned. Over time, it fell into ruin. By 1823, people reported that only the ruins of the castle remained. In that same year, some hidden underground tunnels were discovered. These tunnels were said to connect to the old manor house nearby.
