Listed Building record TR 15 NW 784 - CANTERBURY CASTLE

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1066 to 1817. A square, ruined, late 11th century tower is all that remains of the former Canterbury Castle. The Castle was constructed in the 11th century in the south-west quarter of the city. The walls of its outer bailey were demolished in the late 18th century and since 1826, when the gas and water works first moved into the area, the medieval topography has been gradually destroyed apart from the tower itself which served as a coal store. Virtually the sole surviving and visible portion of the castle is the great tower or 'keep'. Indirect evidence suggests this stone tower was designed between 1085 and 1125. Its architectural history is well documented from the reign of Henry II onwards. In 1173-4 over £100 were spent on the 'work of the castle', chiefly on the tower. It is likely that this large sum was for alterations to an existing keep rather than for its original construction. The castle was repaired between 1190 and 1193 when preparations were made to resist King Philip's threatened invasion but the castle was surrendered to Louis of France in 1216. Generally during the middle ages the castle provided for the administration of the sheriff and served as a prison. By 1335 it was largely ruinous. Summary from record TR 15 NW 869: Late in 1939 the Norman Castle was adapted as a public air-raid shelter and this provision was approved in January 1940. The shelter seems to have been dismantled by the start of 1942.

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 14543 57434 (34m by 39m)
Map sheet TR15NW
County KENT
District CANTERBURY, KENT
Civil Parish CANTERBURY, CANTERBURY, KENT

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

<1> OS 1/2500 1957 (OS Card Reference). SKE48127.

<2> MHLG 944/11/A Mar 62 13 (OS Card Reference). SKE47103.

<3> AM Eng & Wales 1961 59 (OS Card Reference). SKE33010.

<4> Arch J 86 1930 243-7 plans illusts (G Horne) (OS Card Reference). SKE36732.

<5> F1 FGA 19-DEC-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42944.

<6> DOE (HHR) Dist of City of Cant Kent Sept 1973 53 (OS Card Reference). SKE40208.

<7> The English Castle 1936 35 38 (H Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE50343.

<8> Hist of the King's Works 2 1963 588-90 (RA Brown HM Colvin AJ Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE44036.

<9> Arch J 32 1875 490-494 (OS Card Reference). SKE36611.

<10> Arch 6 1782 298-310 (E King) (OS Card Reference). SKE34436.

<11> Arch 4 1778 390-92 (E King) (OS Card Reference). SKE34405.

<12> BOE North East and East Kent 1983 246 (S Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38263.

<13> The Castles of Gt Britain 1953 72-74 (S Toy) (OS Card Reference). SKE50263.

<14> Cant Arch Trust Ann Rep 3 1978-79 18 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE38501.

<15> Arch Cant 87 1972 205-208 (L Millard) (OS Card Reference). SKE35885.

<16> Arch J 126 1969 238-239 Plan (DF Renn) (OS Card Reference). SKE36547.

<17> Arch Cant 92 1976 248 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36098.

<18> Med Arch 16 1972 181 (LE Webster and J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE46733.

<19> Arch Cant Vol 1 Excavs at Canterbury Castle 1982 1--236 (P Bennett SS Frere & S Stow) (OS Card Reference). SKE36369.

<20> Early Norman Castles 1912 116-21 396 (ES Armitage) (OS Card Reference). SKE41567.

<21> Mil Architecture in Eng during the Middle Ages 1912 46 120 128 (AH Thompson) (OS Card Reference). SKE47200.

<22> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<23> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<24> Brown, R, A., Colvin, H, M., Taylor, A, J., 1963, The History of the King's Works Vol.1 and 2 (Monograph). SKE7875.

<25> King, E, 1782, Title Unknown (Article in serial). SKE29717.

<26> John Newman, 1969, The Buildings of England: North East and East Kent (Monograph). SKE7874.

<27> Horne, G., 1930, Title Unknown (Article in serial). SKE29721.

<28> Brown, H., 1936, The English Castle (Monograph). SKE29724.

<29> King, E. M., 1778, Title Unknown (Article in serial). SKE29725.

<30> Armitage, E. S., 1912, Early Norman Castles (Monograph). SKE29726.

<31> Renn, D. F., 1969, Title Unknown (Article in serial). SKE29727.

<32> Toy, S., 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Monograph). SKE29728.

<33> Thompson, A. H., 1912, Military Architecture in England during the Middle Ages (Monograph). SKE29729.

<34> Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). SKE14896.

<35> Man, J R: Norman Keep, Canterbury Castle, Kent (Collection). SKE6538.

<36> Ministry of Works, 1961, Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings in the care of the Ministry of Works: Open to the public/Great Britain (Monograph). SKE29714.

<37> Field report for monument TQ 56 SW 8 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2971.

<38> FING -15 -1. Types: CEMETERY (Photograph). SKE729.

<39> Williamson C., 01/01/46, Though the Streets Burn (Bibliographic reference). SKE14897.

<40> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<41> Historic England, Archive material associated with the Norman Keep, Canterbury Castle, Scheduled monument (Archive). SKE54655.

Sources/Archives (41)

  • <1> OS Card Reference: OS 1/2500 1957.
  • <2> OS Card Reference: MHLG 944/11/A Mar 62 13.
  • <3> OS Card Reference: AM Eng & Wales 1961 59.
  • <4> OS Card Reference: Arch J 86 1930 243-7 plans illusts (G Horne).
  • <5> OS Card Reference: F1 FGA 19-DEC-65.
  • <6> OS Card Reference: DOE (HHR) Dist of City of Cant Kent Sept 1973 53.
  • <7> OS Card Reference: The English Castle 1936 35 38 (H Brown).
  • <8> OS Card Reference: Hist of the King's Works 2 1963 588-90 (RA Brown HM Colvin AJ Taylor).
  • <9> OS Card Reference: Arch J 32 1875 490-494.
  • <10> OS Card Reference: Arch 6 1782 298-310 (E King).
  • <11> OS Card Reference: Arch 4 1778 390-92 (E King).
  • <12> OS Card Reference: BOE North East and East Kent 1983 246 (S Newman).
  • <13> OS Card Reference: The Castles of Gt Britain 1953 72-74 (S Toy).
  • <14> OS Card Reference: Cant Arch Trust Ann Rep 3 1978-79 18 (T Tatton-Brown).
  • <15> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 87 1972 205-208 (L Millard).
  • <16> OS Card Reference: Arch J 126 1969 238-239 Plan (DF Renn).
  • <17> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 92 1976 248 (T Tatton-Brown).
  • <18> OS Card Reference: Med Arch 16 1972 181 (LE Webster and J Cherry).
  • <19> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant Vol 1 Excavs at Canterbury Castle 1982 1--236 (P Bennett SS Frere & S Stow).
  • <20> OS Card Reference: Early Norman Castles 1912 116-21 396 (ES Armitage).
  • <21> OS Card Reference: Mil Architecture in Eng during the Middle Ages 1912 46 120 128 (AH Thompson).
  • <22> Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.
  • <23> Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments.
  • <24> Monograph: Brown, R, A., Colvin, H, M., Taylor, A, J.. 1963. The History of the King's Works Vol.1 and 2.
  • <25> Article in serial: King, E. 1782. Title Unknown.
  • <26> Monograph: John Newman. 1969. The Buildings of England: North East and East Kent.
  • <27> Article in serial: Horne, G.. 1930. Title Unknown.
  • <28> Monograph: Brown, H.. 1936. The English Castle.
  • <29> Article in serial: King, E. M.. 1778. Title Unknown.
  • <30> Monograph: Armitage, E. S.. 1912. Early Norman Castles.
  • <31> Article in serial: Renn, D. F.. 1969. Title Unknown.
  • <32> Monograph: Toy, S.. 1953. The Castles of Great Britain.
  • <33> Monograph: Thompson, A. H.. 1912. Military Architecture in England during the Middle Ages.
  • <34> Unpublished document: Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee. 01/01/39. Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6.
  • <35> Collection: Man, J R: Norman Keep, Canterbury Castle, Kent.
  • <36> Monograph: Ministry of Works. 1961. Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings in the care of the Ministry of Works: Open to the public/Great Britain.
  • <37> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 56 SW 8 - October, 1964.
  • <38> Photograph: FING -15 -1. Types: CEMETERY. P41975. Black and White. Print.
  • <39> Bibliographic reference: Williamson C.. 01/01/46. Though the Streets Burn.
  • <40>XY Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #320 Castle, ]
  • <41> Archive: Historic England. Archive material associated with the Norman Keep, Canterbury Castle, Scheduled monument.

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Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (11)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Canterbury Castle (Ref: CAT: 115) (EKE13428)
  • Intrusive Event: CASTLE AND VICINITY (Ref: EI 15432) (EKE4285)
  • Intrusive Event: CASTLE AND VICINITY (Ref: EI 15433) (EKE4286)
  • Intrusive Event: CASTLE AND VICINITY (Ref: EI 15434) (EKE4287)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Castle Keep, Canterbury (Ref: CAT: 333) (EKE13425)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Castle Keep, Canterbury Castle (Ref: cat:264) (EKE13426)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Castle, South End of Castle Street (Ref: CAT: 200) (EKE13427)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at Canterbury Castle, 1953 (Ref: CAT:115) (EKE13423)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at Rosemary Lane Car Park, 1975 (Ref: EI 15440) (EKE4290)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation on the NW side of Canterbury Castle, 1971 (Ref: CAT: 115) (EKE13424)
  • Intrusive Event: SE side of Canterbury Castle, Castle Street, 1939 (Ref: 163) (EKE13422)

Related Thematic Articles (4)

Record last edited

Jan 21 2022 5:25PM