FitzHarris Castle: A Norman Motte-and-Bailey Site near Abingdon
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3.7
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Norman
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page4 sections
History
FitzHarris Castle is a former Norman castle in England, United Kingdom, near Abingdon. It was probably built between 1071 and 1084, shortly after the Norman Conquest, the takeover of England initiated by William, Duke of Normandy, after 1066. The castle was probably commissioned by Owen, a Norman knight, and formed part of the wave of new fortifications established after the conquest.
A manor house known as FitzHarry’s was later added to the castle. A donjon, or major fortified tower used for defence and residence, remained on the mound until 1247 and probably served a defensive purpose. The site was historically in Berkshire and is now in Oxfordshire. FitzHarris Castle is owned by the local authority, protected as a Scheduled Monument, and included on English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk Register because of the risks associated with high visitor numbers.
Remains
FitzHarris Castle survives as a castle ruin in generally flat terrain about 60 metres above sea level, with agricultural land surrounding much of the site. Its principal earthwork is a motte, an artificially raised mound that supported the castle’s main defensive structure. The mound has a base measuring 23.74 by 9.7 metres.
Motte and moat
A watercourse once flowed around the mound, forming a moat and separating the raised defensive area from the surrounding ground. The surviving earthwork and watercourse express the castle’s defensive layout, while the site’s present condition reflects its survival as a ruin rather than a complete standing castle.
Later manor and donjon
The later manor house called FitzHarry’s formed part of the castle complex, while the donjon stood on the motte until 1247. These buildings have not survived as a complete standing castle, but their association with the mound helps explain the site’s development from a Norman fortified foundation into a later manorial complex.
