GATEHOUSE
The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
Home
The listings
Other Info
Books
Links
Downloads
Contact
 
Print Page 
 
Next Record 
Previous Record 
Back to list 

Rugby Hall Place

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Rokeby; Hawle Place; Sir Henry Rokebye's castle

In the civil parish of Rugby.
In the historic county of Warwickshire.
Modern Authority of Warwickshire.
1974 county of Warwickshire.
Medieval County of Warwickshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SP50417548
Latitude 52.37505° Longitude -1.26092°

Rugby Hall Place has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such, and also as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are no visible remains.

Description

There was a little castle at Rokeby (Rugby) "... which stood about a furlong (C. 200m) from the church northwards as is to be seen by the banks of earth and part of the moat yet remaining. I am of opinion that this was one of those castles built in King Stephen's time ... the inhabitants have it by tradition that it was Sir Henry Rokesbyes' castle" (Dugdale). Norman spur found 60 years ago on the site of the moated area in the field behind in church Street. The moat represents the early Medieval manor house of Rugby (Bloxham). (PastScape)

There was a little castle at Rugby which stood about a furlong (200m) to the N of the church. The banks of earth and part of the moat still remain. Dugdale believed that it was built at the time of King Stephen. The inhabitants call it by tradition Sir Henry Rokebye's castle (ref. Dugdale).
Norman spur found 60 years ago on the site of the moated area in the field behind in church Street. The moat represents the early Medieval manor house of Rugby (Bloxham).
Chatwin suggests that this was an Adulterine Castle (Chatwin).
The remains of earthworks and a moat. Leland c1545 records the earthworks and the name 'Hawle Place'. It is likely to have been a moated manor house from the remains shown on the 6" OS map of 1885. The site is now built over (VCH). (Warwickshire HER)
Comments

The evidence that this was an adulterine castle or that it dated from the time of Stephen is a 'Norman' spur found the 1820s and apparently identified as such by a school master. A more secure identification and other evidence are needed for any Norman date and the specific Anarchy date is merely received wisdom from the late C19. The VCH though it was simple a moated manor house of undefined medieval date also quoting Leland 'There appere certen diches at Rugby, the market towne in Warwikeshire, where the Rugbys, gentilmen of fame, dwellid. . . . The place thus diched is yet caulled the Hawle Place.'. This is suggestive more of a late medieval moated hall than an Norman embanked castle, although these two are not mutually exclusive.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
PastScape   County HER            
Maps >
Streetmap   NLS maps   Where's the path   Old-Maps      
Data/Maps > 
Magic   V. O. B.   Geology   LiDAR   Open Domesday  
Air Photos > 
Bing Maps   Google Maps   Getmapping   ZoomEarth      
Photos >
CastleFacts   Geograph   Flickr   Panoramio      

Sources of information, references and further reading
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.
It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from ANY site without proper recording and reporting.
Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.
The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of Historic England, County Historic Environment Records and other individuals and organisations. It may also contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence. 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 commercial purposes.
The author and compiler of Gatehouse does not receive any income from the site and funds it himself. The information within this site is provided freely for educational purposes only.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.
The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.
Please help to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting Gatehouse if you see errors, can add information or have suggestions for improvements in functality and design.
Help is acknowledged.
This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:20:07

Home | Books | Links | Fortifications and Castles | Other Information | Help | Downloads | Author Information | Contact
¤¤¤¤¤