Jordan's Castle, Wellow

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Ringwork), and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameJordan's Castle, Wellow
Alternative NamesGrimestone; Grimston; Grymeston
Historic CountryNottinghamshire
Modern AuthorityNottinghamshire
1974 AuthorityNottinghamshire
Civil ParishWellow

Medieval ringwork castle, consisting of a bank and ditch with an entrance on the south west side. There is evidence for a fortified manor house here from about 1252, when Jordan Foliot was licensed to embattle his manor house, although no trace of this is now visible. The interior of the ringwork contains traces of ridge and furrow. The earthwork remains of a hollow way and fishpond also survive. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Listed by King as a possible castle, as a large but very weak ringwork and, presumably of C11/C12 date, but described by Speight as a C13 circular moated site. The site seems to be midway between the manors of Wellow and Grimestone (now vanished) both held by the Foliots in 1264 but presumably originally separate manors. If Jordan's castle was a new manorial centre set up to serve both manors then careful analysis of the manorial histories might give some clue as to date of the site.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSK679665
Latitude53.1915512084961
Longitude-0.984579980373383
Eastings467910
Northings366520
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 11' 29.69" Longitude 0° 59' 4.53"

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Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 11' 29.69" Longitude 0° 59' 4.53"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 11' 29.69" Longitude 0° 59' 4.53"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 11' 29.69" Longitude 0° 59' 4.53"

View full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Photograph by Andrew Herrett. All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Steven Trick, Duncan Wright and Oliver Creighton, 2016, 'Wellow, Nottinghamshire' in Duncan Wright and Oliver Creighton (eds), Castles, Siegeworks and Settlements Surveying the Archaeology of the Twelfth Century (Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd) p. 141-42
  • Wright, James, 2008, Castles of Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire County Council) p. 37 (plan), 71
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 381 (possible)
  • Stevenson, W., 1906, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Nottinghamshire Vol. 1 p. 250, 304-5 online copy
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 402 (as Grimestone, not identify with this site) online copy

Journals

  • Crook, D., 2008, 'Jordan Castle and the Foliot family of Grimston, 1225-1330' Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire Vol. 112 p. 143-58
  • Speight, Sarah, 1994, 'Early Medieval Castles in Nottinghamshire' Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire Vol. 98 p. 67-8
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127
  • Barley, M.W., 1957, 'Cistercian land clearance in Nottinghamshire: three deserted villages and their moated sucessors' Nottingham Medieval Studies Vol. 1 p. 77
  • Oswald, Adrian, 1939 , 'Some unrecorded earthworks in Nottinghamshire' Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire Vol. 43 p. 15

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 190?, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III (1258-66) Vol. 5 p. 307 online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 190?, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III (1258-66) Vol. 5 p. 382 online copy
  • Nottinghamshire Archives, Grymeston Licence to Crenelate, 1264, DD/SR/102/166 online reference

Other

  • Pre Construct Geophysics, 2005, Geophysical survey (NCC)
  • Gill Stroud, 2001, Nottinghamshire Extensive Urban Survey Archaeological Assessment Wellow (Nottinghamshire County Council for English Hertage) online copy
  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 489 online copy