53-549: Portchester Castle is a medieval fortress that was developed within the walls of the Roman Saxon Shore fort of Portus Adurni at Portchester , to the east of Fareham in Hampshire . The keep was probably built in the late 11th century as a baronial castle and Portchester was taken under royal control in 1154. The monarchy controlled the castle for several centuries and it was a favoured hunting lodge of King John . It
106-624: A campaign in France , part of the Hundred Years' War between the two countries. While at Portchester in July a conspiracy, known as the Southampton Plot , to overthrow Henry was uncovered. It was at the castle that he arrested the conspirators: Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge , Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham , and Sir Thomas Grey . The three men were executed in early August. In
159-547: A fleet of some size was also available. However, as the frontiers came under increasing external pressure, fortifications were built throughout the Empire in order to protect cities and guard strategically important locations. It is in this context that the forts of the Saxon Shore were constructed. Already in the 230s, under Severus Alexander , several units had been withdrawn from the northern frontier and garrisoned at locations in
212-429: A Germanic style have been found in burials, while there is evidence of the presence of Saxons in southern England and the northern coasts of Gaul around Boulogne-sur-Mer and Bayeux from the middle of the 5th century onwards. This, in turn, could mirror a well documented practice of deliberately settling Germanic tribes (Franks became foederati in 358 AD under Emperor Julian) to strengthen Roman defences. Nevertheless,
265-689: A final refuge. Saxon Shore The Saxon Shore ( Latin : litus Saxonicum ) was a military command of the Late Roman Empire , consisting of a series of fortifications on both sides of the Channel . It was established in the late 3rd century and was led by the " Count of the Saxon Shore ". In the late 4th century, his functions were limited to Britain , while the fortifications in Gaul were established as separate commands. Several well-preserved Saxon Shore forts survive in east and south-east England . During
318-482: A royal fortress than the previous period; the royal accounts provide details of the castle's condition and structure. For instance, as only small sums were spent on the keep during the royal tenure, it is assumed that it was largely complete, and in 1183 the Rolls record that there were royal apartments separate from the keep. Henry II regularly visited Portchester, and it featured in his dispute with Thomas Becket . It
371-572: Is a village and former civil parish , now in the parish of Southwick and Widley , in the Winchester district, in Hampshire , England. 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the Portsmouth boundary measured from Portsea Island . Homes and farms in the village are influenced by the style of the Middle Ages apart from Church Lodge. Southwick was initially the site of Southwick Priory , in the 12th century. On
424-415: Is open to visitors and is also used for recreation: the inner section of the castle accommodates displays and exhibits. The castle is a popular venue for school outings, while the sea wall is frequented at high tide by anglers in pursuit of flounder and bass . The castle buildings are in the care of English Heritage . Local legend states that late in his life Pontius Pilate was brought here by galley as
477-573: Is supported by contemporary references to the supplying of the army of Julian the Apostate by Caesar with grain from Britain during his campaign in Gaul in 359, and their use as secure landing places by Count Theodosius during the suppression of the Great Conspiracy a few years later. Another theory, proposed by D.A. White, was that the extended system of large stone forts was disproportionate to any threat by seaborne Germanic raiders, and that it
530-521: Is uncertain when the castle was built, although it was probably in the late 11th century. In the aftermath of the Norman Conquest , the manor of Portchester was granted to William Maudit, an associate of William the Conqueror and a powerful magnate and it was probably he who built Portchester Castle. The form of this early castle is uncertain, although Maudit was probably responsible for creating
583-575: Is unlikely that the fort was ever completely abandoned, although its use continued on a much smaller scale. A 10th-century hall and tower were discovered within the fort, suggesting it was a high-status residence during the Saxon period. In 904, Portchester came into the possession of King Edward the Elder and the fort became a burh to help defend the country against Vikings, as listed in the Burghal Hidage . It
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#1732859104529636-521: Is virtually certain that in the late 4th century the forts and their garrisons were employed in operations against Frankish and Saxon pirates. Britain was abandoned by Rome in 410, with Armorica following soon after. The forts on both sides continued to be inhabited in the following centuries, and in Britain in particular several continued in use well into the Anglo-Saxon period. The nine forts mentioned in
689-584: The Notitia Dignitatum for Britain are listed here, from north to south, with their garrisons. There are a few other sites that clearly belonged to the system of the British branch of the Saxon Shore (the so-called " Wash - Solent limes "), although they are not included in the Notitia , such as the forts at Walton Castle, Suffolk , which has by now sunk into the sea due to erosion, and at Caister-on-Sea . In
742-495: The Comes Litoris Saxonici per Britanniam (" Count of the Saxon Shore in Britain"), and gives the names of the sites under his command and their respective complements of military personnel. However, due to the absence of further evidence, theories have varied among scholars as to the exact meaning of the name, and also the nature and purpose of the chain of forts it refers to. Two interpretations were put forward as to
795-615: The Dissolution of the Monasteries during the Reformation the estate, including the village, was granted to John White. Southwick House , a new manor house was completed in 1813. This house was gutted by fire in 1838, and was renovated and rebuilt by 1841. The house and part of the estate was requisitioned by the government during World War II , when the house was Dwight Eisenhower 's SHAEF headquarters for Operation Overlord , or D-Day ,
848-553: The FirstGroup bus services providing travel to the village residents has been withdrawn. The only shop within the village is located opposite the church and is known as Southwick Village Stores. The Golden Lion public house was the unofficial officers mess during WW2 the lounge bar used by Eisenhower, Bradley, and numerous other American generals; also Montgomery, Prince Philip and Earl Mountbatten, according to persons that were there during this period. Even Jan Smuts visited. In 1931
901-581: The Notitia , the port of Gesoriacum or Bononia ( Boulogne-sur-Mer ), which until 296 was the main base of the Classis Britannica , would also have come under the dux Belgicae Secundae . To this group also belongs the Roman fort at Oudenburg in Belgium. Further west, under the dux tractus Armoricani et Nervicani , were mainly the coasts of Armorica , nowadays Normandy and Brittany . The Notitia lists
954-496: The 15th century the nearby town of Portsmouth some six miles (ten kilometres) away grew to become a significant economic centre and an important port. It took over from Portchester as a place of military importance, and the castle entered a period of decline. A survey from 1441 noted the castle was "right ruinous and feeble". Despite its state, when Margaret of Anjou , wife of Henry VI , landed in England in 1445, Portchester Castle
1007-408: The 3rd and early 4th centuries, to be exaggerated. They interpret the construction of the forts at Brancaster, Caister-on-Sea and Reculver in the early 3rd century and their location at the estuaries of navigable rivers as pointing to a different role: fortified points for transport and supply between Britain and Gaul, without any relation (at least at that time) to countering seaborne piracy. This view
1060-600: The Thistlethwaite family. The castle did not witness fighting during the English Civil War , though for a short time in 1644 it was garrisoned by Parliamentarian dragoons . One of the roles castles commonly filled was that of a prison. From the late 17th century onwards this became Portchester's most important function. In 1665, 500 prisoners from the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–1667) were held at
1113-484: The White House, the residence of the vicar and Church Lodge. Church Lodge is the only privately owned house in the old village and is shown in the fourth picture below. The church itself is a Grade I listed early medieval building, known as St James, but officially "St James without (i.e. outside) the priory gate". The Defence School of Policing and Guarding is situated at nearby Southwick Park. As of 16 October 2011
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#17328591045291166-671: The bedchamber of the keeper. Instead of her usual sweet perfumes the chamber was freshened with rue and hyssop . By 1603 the castle was in a fit state for Elizabeth to hold court there. Sir Thomas Cornwallis was made constable and remodelled the buildings along the eastern side of the inner bailey. A royal survey from 1609 documents the castle's improved condition, noting that the buildings built by Cornwallis contained "four fair lodging chambers above and as many rooms for office below". The castle passed out of royal control in 1632 when Charles I sold it to Sir William Uvedale . Since then, Portchester Castle has passed through his successors,
1219-485: The campaign that ended in victory at the Battle of Crécy . Further work was carried out in the 1350s and 1360s when the domestic buildings within the castle were reordered and the sea wall repaired. Between 1396 and 1399 the royal apartments that stand today, albeit in a ruined state, were built for Richard II under master mason Walter Walton. In 1415, King Henry V was making preparations at Portchester Castle for
1272-399: The castle acted as a military hospital for those involved in the conflict with France. With relations with Spain worsening, Elizabeth I made Portchester Castle ready for war, anticipating a Spanish invasion. At that time Henry Radcliffe future Earl of Sussex, was Constable. On 30 August 1591 Elizabeth came to the castle, but the floors of the state chambers were rotten, and she had dinner in
1325-423: The castle was still unrecorded in this period, it was probably at this point that it was rebuilt in stone. The evidence for this is that the stonework of the castle is similar to that of St Mary's parish church, which was built in the 1130s in the outer bailey. The church was built for an Augustinian priory which Pont de l'Arche established within the castle in 1128. Other buildings would have been planned for
1378-419: The castle, or Henry Maudit, William de l'Arche's son. The earliest extant reference to the castle is in a grant from 1153 in which Henry Plantagenet , later King Henry II granted the castle to Henry Maudit. Regardless, when Henry ascended to the throne in 1154 he took over possession of Portchester Castle. It would remain in royal control for several centuries. More records survive from the castle's period as
1431-619: The castle. Some were housed in the church in the outer bailey. They damaged the building by setting it on fire. The church was not repaired until some 40 years later. Between 1702 and 1712 the Crown leased Portchester Castle from the Uvedales to incarcerate prisoners from the War of the Spanish Succession . The first detailed accounts of the prisoners' conditions come from the middle of the century. It
1484-481: The coast, the precautions took the form of central depots at Lindum ( Lincoln ) and Malton with roads radiating to coastal signal stations. When an alert was relayed to the base, troops could be dispatched along the road. Further up the coast in North Yorkshire, a series of coastal watchtowers (at Huntcliff , Filey , Ravenscar , Goldsborough , and Scarborough ) was constructed, linking the southern defences to
1537-507: The cross-channel invasion of Normandy. The house has been used by various branches of the armed forces, including as HMS Dryad, ever since. Southwick is rare in that the village is still entirely owned by the Southwick Estate (except for Church Lodge). The most obvious sign of this is that all the houses, except manor houses, have dark red-painted front doors - a condition laid down in the tenancy agreements. The only exceptions to this are
1590-412: The evidence for extensive Saxon settlement in Britain typically dates to the 5th century, later than the channel defences of the late 3rd and 4th century associated with the Saxon Shore. The other interpretation holds that the forts fulfilled a coastal defence role against seaborne invaders, mostly Saxons and Franks, and acted as bases for the naval units operating against them. This view is reinforced by
1643-519: The following sites: In addition, there are several other sites where a Roman military presence has been suggested. At Alderney , the fort known as "The Nunnery" is known to date to Roman times, and the settlement at Longy Common has been cited as evidence of a Roman military establishment, though the archaeological evidence there is, at best, scant. Notes Sources [REDACTED] Media related to Saxon Shore at Wikimedia Commons Southwick, Hampshire Southwick / ˈ s ʌ ð ɪ k /
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1696-471: The inner ward in the north-west corner of the fort. At this point it would probably have been defended by a wooden palisade and a moat, with the original Roman stone walls of the fort acting as the defence of the outer bailey . Maudit died in about 1100, and his property passed onto his son, Robert Maudit. He died in 1120, and a few years later the family estates came into the hands of William Pont de l'Arche through marriage to Robert Maudit's daughter. Although
1749-471: The inner ward were remodelled and the outer gatehouses extended. Despite the expensive work undertaken by Edward II, a survey of 1335 recorded that many of the castle's buildings were in a ruinous state, and the south wall of the Roman fort had been damaged by the sea. Although he infrequently stayed at Portchester, in June 1346 Edward III assembled his 15,000 strong army there before leaving for France on
1802-523: The instructions of emperor Diocletian between 285 and 290. It was one of several forts built along the British coast in the period to combat raids by pirates. Portchester was probably a base from which the Classis Britannica , the Roman fleet defending Britain, operated. It is the best preserved Roman fort north of the Alps. Although the Roman army retreated from Britain in the early 5th century, it
1855-558: The latter half of the 3rd century, the Roman Empire faced a grave crisis : Weakened by civil wars, the rapid succession of short-lived emperors, and secession in the provinces, the Romans now faced new waves of attacks by barbarian tribes. Most of Britain had been part of the empire since the mid-1st century. It was protected from raids in the north by the Hadrianic and Antonine Walls , while
1908-445: The meaning of the adjective "Saxon": either a shore attacked by Saxons , or a shore settled by Saxons. Some argue that the latter hypothesis is supported by Eutropius , who states that during the 280s the sea along the coasts of Belgica and Armorica was "infested with Franks and Saxons", and that this was why Carausius was first put in charge of the fleet there. It also receives support from archaeological finds, as artefacts of
1961-522: The northern coast of Gaul, both of which belonged to the Saxon Shore system. However, when the list was compiled, in c. 420 AD , Britain had been abandoned by Roman forces. The first command controlled the shores of the province Belgica Secunda (roughly between the estuaries of the Scheldt and the Somme ), under the dux Belgicae Secundae with headquarters at Portus Aepatiaci: Although not mentioned in
2014-569: The northern military zone of the Wall. Similar coastal fortifications are also found in Wales , at Cardiff and Caer Gybi . The only fort in this style in the northern military zone is Lancaster, Lancashire , built sometime in the mid-late 3rd century replacing an earlier fort and extramural community, which may reflect the extent of coastal protection on the north-west coast from invading tribes from Ireland. The Notitia also includes two separate commands for
2067-480: The parallel chain of fortifications across the Channel on the northern coasts of Gaul , which complemented the British forts, suggesting a unified defensive system, although this could also be accounted for the Saxons having been settled on both sides of the coast as the archeological evidence presented earlier suggests. Other scholars like John Cotterill however consider the threat posed by Germanic raiders, at least in
2120-575: The pope to annul it. As a result, his opponents were excommunicated in September. At this point, he laid siege to Rochester Castle and the rebels turned to France for help. The barons offered the throne to Prince Louis , the oldest son of the French king. Louis' campaign was initially successful and he captured London and Winchester before Portchester Castle surrendered to his forces in June 1216. John died on 19 October 1216, and nine days later his eldest son
2173-454: The priory, although almost no trace of them survives. As the community moved to a new site at Southwick between 1147 and 1150, the buildings may never have been completed. William Pont de l'Arche probably retained possession of Portchester Castle until his death in 1148, although who inherited it is uncertain. It may have passed to William Maudit, a descendant of the Maudit who most likely founded
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2226-601: The south, Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight and Clausentum ( Bitterne , in modern Southampton ) are also regarded as westward extensions of the fortification chain. Other sites probably connected to the Saxon Shore system are the sunken fort at Skegness , and the remains of possible signal stations at Thornham in Norfolk, Corton in Suffolk and Hadleigh in Essex. Further north on
2279-462: The south, and had built new forts at Brancaster and Caister-on-Sea in Norfolk and Reculver in Kent. Dover was already fortified in the early 2nd century, and the other forts in this group were constructed in the period between the 270s and 290s. The only contemporary reference we possess that mentions the name "Saxon Shore" comes in the late 4th-century Notitia Dignitatum , which lists its commander,
2332-481: The year. The Norman church, St. Mary's, which stands in the south-east corner of the grounds, falls within the Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth . The strategic importance of Portchester has been recognised since at least the 3rd century when a Roman fort was established on the site. Though it is uncertain exactly when the fort was constructed, it is thought that it was built by Marcus Aurelius Carausius on
2385-463: Was a frequent departure point for troops on campaign. For most of the century little attention was paid to the castle's defences, however towards the end of the century a wooden tower was built to reinforce the eastern Roman wall. During the reign of Edward II (1307–1327), a French invasion was anticipated and Portchester garrisoned. The Crown spent more than £1,100 repairing and reinforcing Portchester Castle between 1320 and 1326. The buildings of
2438-495: Was actually conceived and constructed during the secession of Carausius and Allectus (the Carausian Revolt ) in 289–296, and with an entirely different enemy in mind: they were to guard against an attempt at reconquest by the Empire. This view, although widely disputed, has found recent support from archaeological evidence at Pevensey, which dates the fort's construction to the early 290s. Whatever their original purpose, it
2491-529: Was besieged and captured by the French in 1216 before permanently returning to English control shortly thereafter. Occupying a commanding position at the head of Portsmouth Harbour , in the medieval period Portchester was an important port. The castle saw the embarkation for several campaigns to France led by England's kings. In anticipation of a French invasion during the first quarter of the 14th century, Edward II spent £1,100 repairing and reinforcing Portchester Castle. A plot to overthrow Henry V
2544-591: Was crowned King Henry . Louis' fortunes took a turn for the worse, and Portchester Castle was recaptured in the spring of 1217. There was a stalemate between Henry III and Louis until the English victory at the Battle of Lincoln on 20 May. After his supply lines with France were cut in August, Louis was bribed to leave England. Henry tried to recapture Normandy , which was lost by his predecessor, until conditions in England forced him to abandon them in 1259, and Portchester
2597-482: Was discovered and the culprits apprehended at Portchester; this event features in Shakespeare's play, Henry V . Later in its history, the castle was used as a prison. Today Portchester Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument , and a Grade I listed building . The castle has been in the ownership of the Southwick Estate since the 17th century but is managed by English Heritage and open to visitors throughout
2650-645: Was here that Henry met with the Bishop of Évreux who spoke on Becket's behalf. The castle was also used as a prison for important people, such as the Earl of Leicester . When Henry II's sons rebelled against him with the support of some leading barons in the Revolt of 1173–1174 , Portchester was made ready for war. In preparation to defend the castle, catapults were made and it was garrisoned with ten knights , later increased to 20. King John often stayed at Portchester Castle and
2703-530: Was last used in the 19th century as a gaol for over 7,000 French prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars . Hospital Lane (formerly Seagates Lane), which flanks the western side of the castle, was the location of the prison hospital which survives today as Portchester House, a private residence. Those that died in captivity were often buried in what are now tidal mudflats to the south of the castle, their remains occasionally disturbed by storms. Today Portchester Castle
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#17328591045292756-460: Was selected as her port of arrival. The castle was allowed to continue to languish until the last decade of the century attempts were made to repair the castle's buildings. When Henry VIII visited with Queen Anne Boleyn in 1535 October, it was the first time in over a century that the reigning monarch had been to the castle. Between October 1562 and June 1563, the English occupied the port of Le Havre on France's northern coast. During this period
2809-510: Was there when he heard of the Loss of Normandy in 1204. The Forest of Bere was nearby, making Portchester a popular place for the king to stay recreationally. Portchester was also the departure point of missions to France in 1205 and 1213 as John tried to recover Normandy from Philip Augustus , the King of France. John's trips to France ended in defeat. After sealing Magna Carta in 1215, John appealed to
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