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Orford Castle
The late 12th century was not an easy time to be king of England. Powerful
nobles, like the Bigod
family, challenged the authority of the crown. Henry II built Orford
Castle between 1163-1175 in an attempt to counter the supremacy of nobles
like the Bigods in this area of Suffolk, and to act as a coastal dfence.
Orford Castle is built to a keep and bailey plan; a strong polygonal
central keep surrounded by a curtain wall. It is one of the earliest
examples of the use of flanking towers built into the wall. Orford is
unique in that it is the earliest British castle for which records of
the construction exist.
Today, the outer curtain wall has largely disappeared, leaving only
traces of the outer defences and a deep trench surrounding the keep.
The central keep, with its three strong towers, however, is very much
intact, and stands strikingly tall within the ruins of the outer defences.
Location
In Orford, Suffolk, on B1084
Entry
Fee charged. English Heritage members free.
Contact
Tel. 01394 450472
website
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