Ruardyn Castle
Encyclopedia
Ruardyn castle is in the village of Ruardyn, now known as Ruardean
. It was originally a manor house
built in Norman
times, but because of its strategic importance it was crenellated in 1310 and became a castle
. The surviving evidence suggests the site comprised a courtyard
, flanked by short ranges of buildings to the north east and south west, with a tower
in the western corner. A gatehouse
stood to the south east, with a hollow way leading from it towards the parish church. The site was probably enclosed by a curtain wall
. The castle suffered major damage during the English Civil war
in the 17th century.
Nowadays,little remains of the castle, just large mounds with some stone wall surviving on the steep bank side. By the size of the landscape that it once stood, it is suggested that it was of considerable size. To find it go down the lane next to St. John the Baptist church and it is in a field behind.
Ruardean
Ruardean is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, to the west of Cinderford. It is situated on a hillside with views west towards the mountains of South Wales. Little now remains of the village's industrial history, but once it was a centre for iron ore smelting furnaces,...
. It was originally a manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
built in Norman
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
times, but because of its strategic importance it was crenellated in 1310 and became a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. The surviving evidence suggests the site comprised a courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
, flanked by short ranges of buildings to the north east and south west, with a tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
in the western corner. A gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
stood to the south east, with a hollow way leading from it towards the parish church. The site was probably enclosed by a curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
. The castle suffered major damage during the English Civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
in the 17th century.
Nowadays,little remains of the castle, just large mounds with some stone wall surviving on the steep bank side. By the size of the landscape that it once stood, it is suggested that it was of considerable size. To find it go down the lane next to St. John the Baptist church and it is in a field behind.