Sutton Valence Castle

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Middle to late C12 square keep castle, founded by Baldwin de Béthune, count of Albermarle. Now ruinous with only one ragstone wall surviving to any significant height. The castle is situated on the eastern edge of the village of Sutton Valence on a spur of the Quarry Hills. Excavation in 1956 and 1957 produced pottery ranging from the 2nd half of C12 through to the late C13. The castle was abandoned at the end of C13 apparently peacefully.

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Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved

 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved

 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved


 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved

 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved

 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved


 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved

 

Sutton Valence Castle

Copyright Tim Crowley All Rights Reserved


Name Sutton Valence Castle 
Alternative Names Sutton Castle 
Historic County Kent 
Civil Parish Sutton Valence 
Type Masonry Castle 
Confidence Certain 
Remains Masonry ruins/remnants 
Listed Grade 2
Scheduled Ancient Monument Yes
Ordnance Survey Reference TQ815491
Eastings 581540
Northing 149120
Images of England Reference174180
PastScape Reference417741
Historic Environment Record TQ 84 NW 7

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StreetMaps

Books

  • Elliot, Julia (ed), 2005, Heritage Unlocked; Guide to free sites in London and the South East (London: English Heritage) p48-9
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern) p74
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p129-30
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p235
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p304
  • Guy, John, 1980, Kent Castles (Meresborough Books)
  • Smithers, David Waldron, 1980, Castles in Kent (Chatham)
  • Newman, John, 1976, The buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald (Harmondsworth) p558-559
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
  • Braun, Hugh, 1936, The English castle (Batsford) p56
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
  • Sands, Harold, 1907, 'Some Kentish Castles' in Ditchfield and Clinch, Memorials of Old Kent (London) p46-7
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p45-6
  • Hasted, Edward, 1798 (2edn), A History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent Vol5 p364- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62918

Journals

  • 1957, 'Researches and Discoveries in Kent' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol71 p227-8
  • Sands, Harold, 1902, 'Sutton Valence Castle' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol25 p198-206

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commerical purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself. The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others. This site is based upon the databases collated and maintained by Philip Davis who kindly gave permission for its use.