Dodleston Castle in
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...
was founded in the Middle Ages as a
ringwork castle before being developed into a
motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively eas ...
.
It was first mentioned in 1277, but may have existed in the 12th century when the
manor of Dodleston was held by the Boydel family.
The site has been protected as a
scheduled monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage, visu ...
since 1952.
The
earthworks were surveyed in 1964, 1986, and 1995 – the third survey was the most detailed and was carried out by
University College Chester.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Bibliography of sources relating to Dodleston Castle
Castles in Cheshire
History of Cheshire
Scheduled monuments in Cheshire