Remains Of Castle, Hopton Castle

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