Monument record TQ 97 SW 1 - Queenborough Castle

Summary

The site of a concentric royal castle built in 1361-75 but demolished in 1650 and now an earth covered mound. This was the only wholly new royal castle built in England during the later Middle Ages. It was unique in its design, anticipating the concentric plans of Henry VIII's coastal artillery castles. The designer was Henry Yevele. The castle was intended for coastal defence and for the defence of the planned town alongside it. It was also equipped as a royal residence. A ground plan survives, (drawing by Hollar), and also a 17th century Parliamentary survey prior to its demolition in 1650. It was said to be much out of repair and was accordingly sold and pulled down. An evaluation took place at the site in 2005 as part of the Time Team programme. A number of different features were identified from trial trenches and geophysical survey.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 9123 7216 (151m by 151m) FCE
Map sheet TQ97SW
County KENT
District SWALE, KENT
Civil Parish QUEENBOROUGH, SWALE, KENT

Map

Type and Period (4)

Full Description

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

<2> Castles of Great Britain 1953 207-208 Plan (S Toy) (OS Card Reference). SKE38640.

<3> Country Life 21 1 1949 136 (OS Card Reference). SKE39415.

<4> F1 ASP 20-AUG-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42202.

<5> DOE (IAM Record From plan 31 1 84 (OS Card Reference). SKE40673.

<6> History of the King's Works 3 1485-1660 pt 1 292-293 (OS Card Reference). SKE44157.

<7> VCH Kent I 1908 408-409 plan (I Chalkley Gould) (OS Card Reference). SKE51172.

<8> Castellarium Anglicanum I 1983 232 (D J Cathcart King) (OS Card Reference). SKE38610.

<9> The Buildings of England North East and East Kent 1983 419 (J Newman ed N Pevsner) (OS Card Reference). SKE50201.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 97 SW 1 - August, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5018.

<12> Wessex Archaeology, 1996, Queenborough WTW, Archaeological Field Evaluation (Unpublished document). SWX7134.

<13> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1991 Oct, Queenborough Castle - Report Of Evaluation Trenches (Unpublished document). SWX6761.

<14> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9518.

<15> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9570.

<16> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9571.

<17> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9815.

<18> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10298.

<19> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10299.

<20> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11299.

<21> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11300.

<22> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11301.

<23> Kent County Council, 1999, Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites, KD9 (Index). SWX11828.

<24> GBS Prospection, 2005, Queenborough Castle: Gradiometer Survey (Unpublished document). SKE12953.

<25> Wessex Archaeology, 2006, Queenborough Castle, Isle of Sheppey, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results (Unpublished document). SKE12954.

<26> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<27> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<28> Wessex Archaeology, A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough Road Improvements, Kent: Archaeological Survey: Stage 2: Preliminary Field Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE11943.

Sources/Archives (27)

  • <1> OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
  • <2> OS Card Reference: Castles of Great Britain 1953 207-208 Plan (S Toy).
  • <3> OS Card Reference: Country Life 21 1 1949 136.
  • <4> OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 20-AUG-63.
  • <5> OS Card Reference: DOE (IAM Record From plan 31 1 84.
  • <6> OS Card Reference: History of the King's Works 3 1485-1660 pt 1 292-293.
  • <7> OS Card Reference: VCH Kent I 1908 408-409 plan (I Chalkley Gould).
  • <8> OS Card Reference: Castellarium Anglicanum I 1983 232 (D J Cathcart King).
  • <9> OS Card Reference: The Buildings of England North East and East Kent 1983 419 (J Newman ed N Pevsner).
  • <10> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 97 SW 1 - August, 1963.
  • <12> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 1996. Queenborough WTW, Archaeological Field Evaluation.
  • <13> Unpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 1991 Oct. Queenborough Castle - Report Of Evaluation Trenches.
  • <14> Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 3141. print.
  • <15> Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4058. print.
  • <16> Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4060. print.
  • <17> Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 4026. print.
  • <18> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 157. print.
  • <19> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 159. print.
  • <20> Photograph (Print): 1998. Photograph. TQ9172/1. print.
  • <21> Photograph (Print): 1998. Photograph. TQ9172/2. print.
  • <22> Photograph (Print): 1998. Photograph. TQ9172/3. print.
  • <23> Index: Kent County Council. 1999. Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites. KD9.
  • <24> Unpublished document: GBS Prospection. 2005. Queenborough Castle: Gradiometer Survey.
  • <25> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2006. Queenborough Castle, Isle of Sheppey, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results.
  • <26> Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.
  • <27>XY Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments. [Mapped feature: #492 Castle, ]
  • <28> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough Road Improvements, Kent: Archaeological Survey: Stage 2: Preliminary Field Evaluation.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Appraisal of the history, development and built heritage of Queenborough (EKE12129)
  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation at Queensborough Castle, Swale (EWX6616)
  • Intrusive Event: Trenching evaluation of Queenborough Castle carried out in 2006 as part of a 'Time Team' programme (Ref: 59470.01) (EKE9245)

Related Thematic Articles (2)

Record last edited

Nov 1 2021 1:22PM