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  1. Home
  2. Medieval Places
  3. Wallingford Castle
Location
Location
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Wallingford Castle

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 County

Oxfordshire (8 castles) 

 Categories

Motte & Bailey / Royal castle

 Remains

Small amount survives

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Location51.60287,-1.123516 (Google Maps) DirectionsDirections via Google Maps
 County

Oxfordshire (8 castles) 

 Categories

Motte & Bailey / Royal castle

 Remains

Small amount survives

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Location
51.60287,-1.123516
 Directions
Directions via Google Maps
n its day Wallingford Castle was one of the most important castles in England. It was a motte and bailey castle located in the corner of a village enclosure on the west bank of the Thames where it was possible to cross the river. Very little of the castle remains today. Records indicate that the site was attacked by the Danes in 1006 and rebuilt in 1013. A castle existed at the time of the Conquest belonging to a Saxon called Wigod. Wigod supported William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings. In 1067 Robert D'Oyley of Liseux married Wigod's daughter and built a new castle at a strategic site. The castle was built as part on the Norman Conquest and would have been complete by 1071 when the Abbot of Abingdon was reportedly imprisoned there. During the anarchy involving King Stephen and Matilda the castle was held by Brian FitzCount who supported Matilda. Stephen built two siege towers around Wallingford to try and take the castle but failed. In 1153 Henry, Matilda's son and later Henry II, attacked the siege forts that Stephen had built and a peace treaty was concluded which stated that Henry would become King after Stephen's death. Henry II received the castle after the period of anarchy ended. In 1264 Prince Edward, King Henry III's son (later Edward I) was held prisoner at Wallingford by Simon de Montfort. He was moved to Kenilworth Castle after trying to escape.

During the Civil Wars of Charles I Wallingford Castle was held by the Royalists who wanted to guard the important river crossing point. Parliamentarian forces could not capture the castle and a siege only ended when the Royalist commander of the castle, Colonel Blagge, surrendered the castle after Charles himself had surrendered. In 1652, after being used as a prison for a short time, Cromwell decided that the castle should be totally destroyed so that it could not become a threat again.

Location

See Also

People

  • Henry (II, King of England 1154-1189)
  • Matilda (Empress Maud)
  • Stephen (of Blois, king of England 1135-1154)
  • FitzCount, Brian
  • A .. Z List of Medieval People

Related Information

  • Why build and live in castles
  • Castle development timeline
  • Keep and bailey castles
  • Castles of William the Conqueror
  • Motte and bailey castles
  • Shell-Keeps
  • Square keeps
  • Polygonal Keeps
  • Castles of Edward I
  • Parts of a castle
  • Location of lots of castles
  • Castle construction timeline

Related Maps

  • Map of Castles

Related Episodes

Viking Invasions (click here)

Viking Invasions (click here)

Norman Conquest (click here)

Norman Conquest (click here)

Civil War Stephen and Matilda (click here)

Civil War Stephen and Matilda (click here)

The Second Barons' War (click here)

The Second Barons' War (click here)

Location Map (click to explore)

Timeline

1006
...
Destruction of Walingford

The Danes, led by Swein, attacked and destroyed the river crossing at Wallingford.

1067
...
Construction of Wallingford Castle

A castle at Wallingford was built in this year. It would have been a motte and bailey type castle.

1071
...
Abbot of Abingdon imprisoned

The Abbot of Abingdon was imprisoned at Wallingford Castle.

1139
...
Wallingford Castle siege

After Brian fitz Count the owner of the castle at Wallingford sided with Matilda, king Stephen built two siege castles to force him out.

1153
Nov 6
Treaty of Wallingford

Henry had besieged a fort that King Stephen had built at Crowmarsh on the banks of the Thames opposite Wallingford Castle. An agreement of succession of Henry II after Stephen was concluded and witnessed by the English Knights Templars. King Stephen accepted Henry of Normandy, Anjou and Aquitaine as heir to the throne and in turn Henry recognised Stephen as King. Stephen made his barons do homage to Henry in January of 1154.

1167
...
Construction of Wallingford Castle

Robert D'Oyley of Liseux built the castle at a strategic site of Wallingford where it was possible to cross the river Thames. Originally the castle would have been a motte and bailey type castle.

1173
(to 1174)
Wallingford Castle repairs

Repairs to the castle at Wallingford.

1202
May
Wallingford Castle granted to Hubert de Burgh

Hubert de Burgh's power and influence increased. In this year he was appointed sheriff of Cornwall and in May was granted Wallingford Castle.

1215
...
Wallingford Castle fortified

The fortifications at Wallingford castle were strengthened at this time.

1264
Summer
Edward moved to Kenilworth

Edward (I) was held captive at Wallingford Castle but after an escape attempt he was moved to Kenilworth Castle.

3D Virtual Reconstructions

Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past. Built using the popular game development tool Unity 3D, these reconstructions will run in the most of the popular web browsers on your desktop or laptop computer.

Medieval people

Uncover the lives of the hundreds of kings, queens, lords, ladies, barons, earls, archbishops and rebels who made the medieval people an exciting period of history to live through.

Selection of references used:

  • 1. Timbs & Gunn, Abbeys, Castles & Ancient Halls of England & Wales
  • 2. Derek Renn, Norman Castles, 1968
  • 3. John Kinross, Discovering Castles in England and Wales
  • 4. Edward Burman, The Templars, Knights of God, ISBN:0-85030-396-6
  • 5. Elizabeth Luckock and Caroline Gundy, Simon de Montfort, 1969, ISBN:08-008236-6

    Location

    See Also

    People

    • Henry (II, King of England 1154-1189)
    • Matilda (Empress Maud)
    • Stephen (of Blois, king of England 1135-1154)
    • FitzCount, Brian
    • A .. Z List of Medieval People

    Related Information

    • Why build and live in castles
    • Castle development timeline
    • Keep and bailey castles
    • Castles of William the Conqueror
    • Motte and bailey castles
    • Shell-Keeps
    • Square keeps
    • Polygonal Keeps
    • Castles of Edward I
    • Parts of a castle
    • Location of lots of castles
    • Castle construction timeline

    Related Maps

    • Map of Castles
    3D/VR

    Virtual Buildings

    Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past.

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