Deddington Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deddington Castle |
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North embankment of the western bailey, with the castle motte on the right
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| Type | Earthworks only |
| Location | Deddington, Oxfordshire, England |
| OS grid reference | SP471316 |
| Built by | Bishop Odo of Bayeux |
| Owner | English Heritage and Deddington parish council |
| Important events | Death of Piers Gaveston English Civil War |
| Official name: Deddington Castle | |
| Designated | 7 March 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1014749 |
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Deddington Castle is an old castle site in the village of Deddington, Oxfordshire, England. Today, you can only see the large earth mounds and ditches that remain. It was once a big motte-and-bailey castle, built almost a thousand years ago.
The castle was built on a rich Anglo-Saxon estate by Bishop Odo of Bayeux. He was the half-brother of William the Conqueror. The castle was made stronger in the 1100s with some stone walls. But from the 1200s, it started to fall apart. Its stone buildings were eventually taken down and sold.
Deddington Castle played a small part in the English Civil War. After the village became less important, the castle site was left empty for many years. It was only used for grazing animals and growing trees.
In the 1800s, people used the site for fun activities and sports. Then, in 1947, it was sold to the local parish council. Now, it's a public park and a nice place for nature walks. The site is protected by UK law as a scheduled monument, meaning it's an important historical place.
Contents
What is Deddington Castle?
Deddington Castle is mostly made of earthworks. These are large mounds and ditches. It was built as a motte-and-bailey castle. This type of castle has a tall mound (the motte) and one or more enclosed areas (baileys).
Who Built Deddington Castle?
Bishop Odo of Bayeux built the castle after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Odo was a powerful figure. He was the half-brother of William the Conqueror. He wanted the castle to manage his lands. It was also a strong military base. This was important in case of an Anglo-Saxon uprising.
How Did the Castle Change Over Time?
In the 1100s, William de Chesney owned the castle. He rebuilt parts of it using stone. He added a strong stone curtain wall around the inner area. This wall had a defensive tower and a gatehouse. Inside, there were buildings like a hall and a chapel.
After William's death, his family fought over the castle. King John took control of it several times. Eventually, the de Dive family owned it for about 150 years.
When Did the Castle Fall Apart?
From the 1200s, Deddington Castle began to decay. People at the time called it "demolished" and "weak." In 1364, the Canons of Windsor bought the castle. They started selling off its stone.
The castle was used by both Royalist and Parliamentary forces. This happened during the English Civil War in the 1600s. After that, the site was mostly used for grazing animals and growing timber.
How Was the Castle Used Later?
In the 1800s, local wealthy people used the castle site for sports. They played cricket and practiced archery. A small building was put up for a sports coach. There was also a "pavilion building" for dances and a cafe.
In 1947, the site was sold to the local parish council. They planned to build tennis courts. But workers found old medieval pottery and roof tiles. This led to an archaeological investigation.
What Did Archaeologists Find?
Archaeologists from the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford studied the site. They found many medieval remains. Because of these discoveries, the tennis court plans were stopped. Instead, the western part of the castle became a local park.
More archaeological work happened later, from 1977 to 1979. Today, only the earthworks of the castle remain. The western part is a park. The inner part is managed by English Heritage. The eastern part is still used for farming. The entire site is protected as a scheduled monument.
How Was Deddington Important in the 11th Century?
In the 1000s, Deddington was one of the biggest towns in Oxfordshire. The castle site had been used by the Anglo-Saxons before. They might have used it to manage their large estates.
Bishop Odo was given huge amounts of land in England. Deddington was one of his richest areas. It was the main administrative center for his lands in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The castle was also meant to house a large army. This was important in case the Anglo-Saxons rebelled.
What Did the Castle Look Like in the 11th Century?
The castle was built on the east side of the town. It was on a hill overlooking a stream. Odo built huge earthworks. These created two large baileys, each about 3.4 hectares (8.4 acres). A big motte (mound) was placed between them.
The western bailey was very large. It was protected by a 5-meter (16-foot) tall earth bank. This bank had a 15-meter (49-foot) wide ditch. The top of the earthworks was a 2.5-meter (8-foot) wide rampart. The western bailey had two entrances. The eastern bailey went down to the stream. It might have had two fishponds. There was also a stone hall built near the motte.
The castle's design was unusual for the area. It showed how important the location was. It also showed how powerful its builder, Odo, was. It was similar in size to Rochester Castle, another major castle built by Odo.
In 1088, Odo rebelled against William II. He failed and lost all his lands. Deddington Castle then came under royal control.
How Did the Castle Change from 1100 to 1215?
In the early 1100s, more earthworks were added. These divided the western part of the castle. They created an outer bailey and a smaller inner bailey. It's not clear why these were built. It might have been to make the castle stronger. This could have been due to threats from Duke Robert of Normandy or a crisis in 1120.
By 1157, William de Chesney owned the castle. He was an Anglo-Norman lord. He supported King Stephen and later Henry II. William rebuilt much of the castle in stone. He built a strong stone curtain wall around the inner bailey. This wall was 2 meters (6.6 feet) thick.
William and his family also rebuilt the inside of the inner bailey. They added a chapel, a hall, and other buildings. A stone tower was built on top of the motte. A stone gatehouse was also built. It led from the outer bailey into the inner bailey.
After William died, his relatives fought over the castle. King John took control of Deddington several times. The castle eventually went to the de Dive family.
What Happened from 1215 to the 18th Century?
Both Deddington village and its castle declined in the 1200s. The village grew, but nearby Banbury became more important. Many castles in the Thames Valley were abandoned if they weren't strong enough. Deddington Castle was one of them. By 1277, people called it "an old demolished castle." In 1281, a group of men broke into the castle. By 1310, it was described as "weak." No more repairs were done after this time.
In 1312, a royal favorite named Piers Gaveston may have been captured at Deddington. Gaveston was a close friend of Edward II. But he had many enemies among the powerful barons. He had surrendered to them, believing he would be safe. He was taken to Deddington by the Earl of Pembroke. Gaveston was held there on June 9th while the Earl left. The next morning, the Earl of Warwick seized Gaveston. He took him to Warwick Castle, where Gaveston later died.
During the 1300s, people still lived inside the castle. But they used it in a simple way. The upper parts of the tower were abandoned. People even burned wood inside the walls for warmth. In 1364, the Canons of Windsor bought the castle. They started selling off its stonework. By the 1500s, a visitor noted that "there hath bene a castle at Dadintone."
Deddington village was very involved in the English Civil War (1641-1645). This was because of its location between Banbury and Oxford. The castle was used as a temporary fort by both Royalist and Parliamentary forces. A Royalist group was even surrounded there in 1644. In the 1600s and 1700s, the castle site was used for grazing animals and growing timber.
How Was the Castle Used from the 19th to 21st Centuries?
From the 1800s, the castle site became a club for local wealthy people. They used it for recreation, like cricket and archery. A small building was built for a professional coach. A "pavilion building" was also built. It was used as a ballroom and a cafe. In 1886, the ownership passed to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners of the Church of England. The pavilion was taken down in the early 1900s. People continued to take stone from the castle ruins until the 1940s. They used it for local buildings.
From 1945 to 1981, the castle was home to the Deddington and District Rifle and Revolver Club.
In 1947, the Commissioners sold the castle site to Deddington's parish council. The council wanted to build tennis courts in the inner bailey. But when work started, builders found medieval pottery and roof tiles. Construction stopped. The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford sponsored an archaeological investigation. This work continued until 1953.
The plans for tennis courts were dropped because of the findings. Instead, the site became a park. More archaeological work was done from 1977 to 1979. This was led by Richard Ivens.
Today, only the earthworks of the castle remain. The western bailey is managed by the parish council. The inner bailey is managed by English Heritage. The eastern bailey is still farmed. The entire site is protected by UK law as a scheduled monument.
Images for kids
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In the outer bailey looking south
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Diagram of earthworks in the 21st century: A – western entrance; B – western outer baley; C – north-eastern entrance; D – inner bailey and remains of motte; E – eastern bailey
