Description

SO 37 NE
8/164

HOPTON CASTLE C.P.
HOPTON CASTLE,
Castle, remains of.

(Formerly listed as Hopton Castle)

1.12.51

I

Castle, remains of. Probably early C14 with later additions and alterations.
Regularly coursed shale (traces of former render surviving) with sandstone
ashlar dressings; now roofless. Only keep on roughly circular motte
survives; square plan with clasping buttress-like rectangular corner
turrets. 3 levels with moulded string course to ground floor carried
right around structure; roughly dressed angle quoins. North elevation:
recessed double-chamfered moulded pointed doorway with hoodmould and
outline of former gable above in angle with right turret, which has narrow
rectangular chamfered opening on first floor. Similar openings on both
ground and first floors to left turret. Corbelled projection above
doorway with chamfered stone cap has cusped lancet to centre, similar
lancet to left within larger infilled pointed opening. Chamfered rectangular
window to left of doorway with segmental relieving arch. West elevation:
narrow rectangular openings to turrets. Ruinous segmental-headed doorway
in angle with right turret has segmental-pointed window (mutilated) on
first floor to left. South elevation: narrow rectangular openings to
turrets and large opening to centre retaining fragments of moulding to
jambs; cusped lancet below extending through string course. Slight
rectangular projection in angle with left turret on first floor. East
elevation: narrow rectangular openings to turrets. Broad pointed opening
(mutilated) to left on first floor and square-headed opening with
moulded label in larger infilled opening to right. Rectangular opening
to ground floor on right has segmental relieving arch. Interior.
Inspection not possible at time of resurvey (September 1986) but right
turret on north elevation has spiral staircase. Extensive earthworks
on all sides, especially well-defined to west in what appears to be bailey.
Water-filled moats and several fragments of masonry visible beneath banks.
Scheduled Ancient Monument, County No. 23. B.o.E. p. 153; V.C.H. I. pp.
395-6; G.T. Clark, Medieval Military Architecture, II (1884), pp. 123-5;
Sir James Mackenzie, The Castles of England, II (1897), pp. 135-6.

Listing NGR: SO3668877933

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Hopton Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q9293795

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version