TQ 54 NE 2 - TONBRIDGE CASTLE - Historic Environment Record

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Monument record TQ 54 NE 2 - TONBRIDGE CASTLE

Summary

The castle was built on the north bank of the Medway beside a ford and close to the present bridge. It was in existence by 1088 when it was captured by William II. The masonry defences and shell keep on the motte were probably built in stone during the 13th century. The great gatehouse overlooking the town has close similarities with another Clare gatehouse at Caerphilly Castle and was probably built in c.1265. Richard FitzGilbert was given the honour of Clare by the Conqueror and Tonbridge was the caput of the de Clares' Surrey and West Kent estates. The castle was dismantled by order of Parliament in 1646.

Location

Grid reference	Centred TQ 58945 46577 (207m by 147m)
Map sheet	TQ54NE
Civil Parish	TONBRIDGE, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT
County	KENT
District	TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Downman, Revd E A: Surveys c1900 (Collection). SKE6483.

Sidney simmons, 1996, Archaeologia Cantiana, Tonbridge Castle, Further observations on an ancient castle (Article in serial). SKE53676.

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> VCH Kent 1 1908 424-5 plan (I C Gould) (OS Card Reference). SKE50890.

<3> Early Norman Castle 1912 220 plan (E S Armitage) (OS Card Reference). SKE41566.

<4> JBAA 3rd Series 5 1940 63-72 plan (W D Simpson) (OS Card Reference). SKE44955.

<5> Castle of BG 1953 58-9 243-4 plan (S Toy) (OS Card Reference). SKE38620.

<6> F1 ASP 28-JAN-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42332.

<7> DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge UD Kent Jan 1972 1 (OS Card Reference). SKE40418.

<8> The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 570-1 illus (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50239.

<9> Norman Castles in Britain 1973 324 fig 69 (D F Renn) (OS Card Reference). SKE47674.

<10> Arch J 36 1879 378-9 (OS Card Reference). SKE36620.

<11> Arch 6 1782 269-290 plan (E King) (OS Card Reference). SKE34435.

<12> Arch J 62 1905 188 (OS Card Reference). SKE36668.

<13> Castellarium Anglicanum I 1983 235 (D J Cathcart King) (OS Card Reference). SKE38612.

<14> Arch Cant 16 1886 12-57 illus (J F Wadmore) (OS Card Reference). SKE34748.

<15> Hist of Kent 2 1778-99 322-32 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43944.

<16> Field report for monument TQ 54 NE 2 - January, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2714.

<17> W DOUGLAS-SIMPSON (Collection). SKE6488.

<17> Archaeology South-East, 2000, Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief Undertaken During Restoration Works Undertaken Between September 1999 and March 2000 at Tonbridge Castle Gatehouse, Tonbridge, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE7465.

<18> English Heritage SAMs 15-10-91 (OS Card Reference). SKE41628.

<19> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Tonbridge Castle Moat watching brief, CAT. 1995. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<20> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1999, Archaeological Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE7389.

<21> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2002, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle (Unpublished document). SKE8015.

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

<23> Alan Ward, 2013, An archaeological watching brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE25082.

Sources/Archives (26)

--- SKE53676 Article in serial: Sidney simmons. 1996. Archaeologia Cantiana, Tonbridge Castle, Further observations on an ancient castle. Vol 116 pp 101 146.
--- SKE6483 Collection: Downman, Revd E A: Surveys c1900.
<1> SKE48369 OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
<2> SKE50890 OS Card Reference: VCH Kent 1 1908 424-5 plan (I C Gould).
<3> SKE41566 OS Card Reference: Early Norman Castle 1912 220 plan (E S Armitage).
<4> SKE44955 OS Card Reference: JBAA 3rd Series 5 1940 63-72 plan (W D Simpson).
<5> SKE38620 OS Card Reference: Castle of BG 1953 58-9 243-4 plan (S Toy).
<6> SKE42332 OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 28-JAN-63.
<7> SKE40418 OS Card Reference: DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge UD Kent Jan 1972 1.
<8> SKE50239 OS Card Reference: The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 570-1 illus (J Newman).
<9> SKE47674 OS Card Reference: Norman Castles in Britain 1973 324 fig 69 (D F Renn).
<10> SKE36620 OS Card Reference: Arch J 36 1879 378-9.
<11> SKE34435 OS Card Reference: Arch 6 1782 269-290 plan (E King).
<12> SKE36668 OS Card Reference: Arch J 62 1905 188.
<13> SKE38612 OS Card Reference: Castellarium Anglicanum I 1983 235 (D J Cathcart King).
<14> SKE34748 OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 16 1886 12-57 illus (J F Wadmore).
<15> SKE43944 OS Card Reference: Hist of Kent 2 1778-99 322-32 (E Hasted).
<16> SKE2714 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 54 NE 2 - January, 1963.
<17> SKE6488 Collection: W DOUGLAS-SIMPSON.
<17> SKE7465 Unpublished document: Archaeology South-East. 2000. Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief Undertaken During Restoration Works Undertaken Between September 1999 and March 2000 at Tonbridge Castle Gatehouse, Tonbridge, Kent.
<18>XY SKE41628 OS Card Reference: English Heritage SAMs 15-10-91. [Mapped feature: #491 Castle, ]
<19> SKE6440 Miscellaneous Material: Not applicable. SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry. Tonbridge Castle Moat watching brief, CAT. 1995..
<20> SKE7389 Unpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 1999. Archaeological Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent.
<21> SKE8015 Unpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 2002. An Archaeological Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle.
<22> SKE6956 Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.
<23> SKE25082 Unpublished document: Alan Ward. 2013. An archaeological watching brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Parent of: Tonbridge Castle Gatehouse (Listed Building) (TQ 54 NE 232)

Related Events/Activities (9)

Non-Intrusive Event: Desk based assessment at Tonbridge Castle (Ref: 2687) (EKE9708)
Intrusive Event: Excavation associated with consolidation work at Tonbridge Castle (EKE20487)
Intrusive Event: Excavation at Tonbridge Castle (EKE20482)
Intrusive Event: Excavation within gatehouse at Tonbridge Castle (EKE20485)
Intrusive Event: Three watching brief projects at Tonbridge Castle. (EKE5428)
Intrusive Event: Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle (Ref: CAT Site Number 1634) (EKE5875)
Intrusive Event: Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle (Ref: TC 05) (EKE8890)
Intrusive Event: Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge (Ref: Site Code TCWB 99) (EKE5451)
Intrusive Event: Watching brief during reconstruction works at Tonbridge Castle Gatehouse (EKE5512)

Record last edited

Mar 8 2021 3:42PM