Cricklade (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Cricklade.
In the historic county of Wiltshire.
Modern Authority of Wiltshire.
1974 county of Wiltshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SU098938
Latitude 51.6425° Longitude -1.8584°

Cricklade has been described as a probable Timber Castle.

There are no visible remains.

Description

In the Gesta Stephani of 1144 it is reported that William of Dover built a castle at Cricklade, surrounded by water and marshes. This castle has never been identified (it is suggested that the description does not fit the town and the castle may have been outside the walls - Cricklade Historical Society), and the reference may simply be to a re-fortification of the burgh defences, for which there is archaeological evidence (Haslam 1975). The town sided with the Empress during the anarchy and war. (Urban Survey Chippenham)

The square town bank has been shown to have a stone revetment (Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 55, p. 181; 56, p. 162; 58, p.7)
The castle built in 1144 by William of Dover with water and marsh on every side (Gesta Stephani, p. 113) may have been Castle Eaton (Renn 1973)

The description 'surrounded by water and marshes' could certainly apply to Cricklade town itself and the term castellumque used in the Gesta might well mean walled town rather than castle. It is difficult to see a reason to build a new castle when a strong defensive position already existed. Gatehouse favours this reference as a garrisoning of the existing town defences rather than as a castle. Caste Eaton has also been suggested as the site.

Sources of information, references and further reading

English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 1392238.
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Books
- Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 89
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 501
  Haslam, J., 1976, Wiltshire towns: the archaeological potential (Devizes: Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society) p. 18
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 161
  Thomson, T.R., 1958-61, Materials for a History of Cricklade (Oxford: Oxford University Press) p. 71-2
  Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 1 p. 222 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Creighton, O.H., 2000, 'Early Castles in the Medieval Landscape of Wiltshire' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol. 93 p. 108
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Sewell, R.C. (ed), 1846, Gesta Stephani, Regis Anglorum et Ducis Normannorum p. 106 online copy (The newer edition and translation by Potter, K.R. (ed), 1976 (2edn), Gesta Stephani (Oxford University Press) should be consulted for serious study. See also Speight, S., 2000, 'Castle Warfare in the Gesta Stephani' , Château Gaillard Vol. 19 see online transcription)
Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- 2004, The Archaeology of Wiltshire's Towns An Extensive Urban Survey Cricklade (Wiltshire County Archaeology Service) online copy

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