Castles · South East England
Ludgershall Castle
In or near Ludgershall.
Ludgershall Castle — castle in Ludgershall, Wiltshire, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Grateley · 9.9 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Ludgershall Castle, the nearest railway station is Grateley, which is approximately 9.9 km away. Entry is paid, and wheelchair access is limited. The postcode for sat-nav is SP11 9QT.
About
Ludgershall Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Ludgershall, Wiltshire, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.2591°, -1.6234°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Ludgershall Castle is a ruined 12th-century fortified royal residence at Ludgershall in Wiltshire, England. Three large walls still remain of the castle, which was turned into a hunting lodge by Henry III and fell into disuse by the 15th century. The ruin was listed as a scheduled monument in 1981.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Ludgershall Castle is a historic site that dates back to the late 11th century, with significant enhancements made in the 13th century. Visitors can explore the remains of the castle's three large walls and extensive earthworks, as well as a 14th-century cross located in the nearby village.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Ludgershall Castle is a ruined 12th-century fortified royal residence at Ludgershall in Wiltshire, England. Three large walls still remain of the castle, which was turned into a hunting lodge by Henry III and fell into disuse by the 15th century. The ruin was listed as a scheduled monument in 1981.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
A motte-and-bailey castle was probably first built in the late 11th century by Edward of Salisbury, Sheriff of Wiltshire. By about 1100 it had come into the possession of the Crown, and John the Marshal (–1165) is recorded as the king's castellan. He strengthened it and may have added the northern enclosure, which contained the important buildings, largely in stone, including a great hall and a tower with royal living quarters. The southern enclosure was the bailey, where there were stables, kitchens, and timber farm buildings. It is likely that John's son, William Marshal, inherited the castle but by 1174–75 it was under royal control. The change of ownership may have been a consequence of…
Architecture
Extensive earthworks remain, although a private house stands on part of the site. The earthworks have been greatly altered by quarrying. The southern enclosure, which lies within them and at the opposite end of the site from the standing walls, is thought to have been an Iron Age stronghold.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.2591, -1.6234
- District
- Wiltshire
- Parish
- Ludgershall
- Postcode
- SP11 9QT
- Parliamentary constituency
- East Wiltshire
- Phone
- 0370 333 1181
- Nearest railway station
- Grateley — 9.9 km
- Opening
- Open any reasonable time during daylight hours
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q15243063 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Ludgershall Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Ludgershall Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Ludgershall Cross
Memorials & monuments · 0.3 km
Unidentified Monument In Churchyard, Approximately 16 Metres South Of South Porch, Church Of St James
Memorials & monuments · 0.3 km
Unidentified Monument In Churchyard, Approximately 13 Metres South Of Tower, Church Of St James
Memorials & monuments · 0.3 km
Ludgershall
Towns & cities · 0.3 km
Ludgershall War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Windmillhill Down
Mountains & hills · 1.7 km
Wick Down
Mountains & hills · 1.9 km
Pickpit Hill
Mountains & hills · 2.0 km
Lambourne Hill
Mountains & hills · 2.8 km
Nov2006.jpg?width=1200)
Collingbourne Ducis
Towns & cities · 3.2 km
Collingbourne Ducis War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 3.3 km
Biddesden House
Historic houses · 3.3 km
Nearby
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Ludgershall Cross
Ludgershall Cross is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Unidentified Monument In Churchyard, Approximately 16 Metres South Of South Porch, Church Of St James
Unidentified Monument In Churchyard, Approximately 16 Metres South Of South Porch, Church Of St James — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Unidentified Monument In Churchyard, Approximately 13 Metres South Of Tower, Church Of St James
Unidentified Monument In Churchyard, Approximately 13 Metres South Of Tower, Church Of St James — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
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Ludgershall
Ludgershall — village and civil parish in Wiltshire, UK.
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Ludgershall War Memorial
Ludgershall War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
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Windmillhill Down
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Ludgershall Castle?
- Ludgershall Castle is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode SP11 9QT), in the parish of Ludgershall.
- What is Ludgershall Castle?
- Ludgershall Castle — castle in Ludgershall, Wiltshire, England, UK.
- How do I get to Ludgershall Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Grateley, about 9.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode SP11 9QT.
- Who runs Ludgershall Castle?
- Ludgershall Castle is operated by English Heritage.
- Is Ludgershall Castle a listed building?
- Ludgershall Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Ludgershall Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Ludgershall Castle is part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Ludgershall Castle charge admission?
- Ludgershall Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Ludgershall Castle?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode SP11 9QT. It sits within the East Wiltshire parliamentary constituency.