Bailey Walls, North East Range To Hertford Castle (Hertford Castle Demolished)

HERTFORD

TL3212NE HERTFORD CASTLE 817-1/17/310 Bailey Walls, north-east range to 10/02/50 Hertford Castle (Hertford Castle demolished) (Formerly Listed as: Hertford Castle: SE range Bailey Walls, N range Bailey Walls)

GV II*

Curtain wall along north-east side of Castle Bailey. Late C12, c1171-4, with later repairs and alterations. Flint rubble with clunch blocks, and extensive repairs and rebuilding in red brick laid to English bond. At south-east corner is a screen totally rebuilt in red brick, on the site of the angle bastion, finally destroyed by the Marquess of Downshire together with a house built in the angle between the walls, visible in Sparrow's engraving of 1776. The wall attains its greatest height of 15 -18 ft, without later crenellations. The north gateway has a pair of C20 iron gates between circular castellated flint rubble gate piers. The return run of the curtain wall towards the motte has a 6 ft top section rebuilt internally in red brick, with flint faced outer wall. HISTORICAL NOTE: Hertford Castle reputedly originated as a Saxon fort built by order of King Alfred against the Danes encamped at Ware. The castle was built (or reconstructed) by William I shortly after 1066 as a motte and bailey - the motte mount, 22 ft high, remains in the north angle of the castle precinct overlooking the river. In 1171-4, at the behest of Henry II »171 was spent, probably on the replacement of the wooden palisade by the flint rubble curtain wall. The castle was periodically improved and had a double moat, the outer moat following the line of the north side of Castle Street, and the east side of Parliament Square and The Wash. An embankment separated the two moats, broadening into the Outer Ward to the west of the Gate House. The inner moat ran the perimeter of the curtain wall. Long since infilled, the vestiges of the moats can be seen in the undulating land forms of the approach to the south postern from Castle Street, and in the hollow behind the properties in Castle Street and Parliament Square. The Bailey occupies an area of 2.3 acres, and the castle precinct 7.75 acres. Hertford Castle Gate House, curtain walls, motte and bailey and precinct (qqv) are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. (Turnor L: History of Hertford: Hertford: 1830-: 16-52, 308-12; Victoria History of the Counties of England:

Hertfordshire: London: 1902-1912: 501-6; Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England): An Inventory of the Historical Monuments of Hertfordshire: London: 1910-: 113; The King's Works: London: 1963-: 678-71; Hertfordshire Countryside: Davies HG: 'From Royal Palace to Council Offices': Letchworth: 1946-1971: 34-38; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Hertfordshire: Harmondsworth: 1977-: 187).

Listing NGR: TL3253212552