Meetings Are Held

in the

 United Reform Church

(Opposite The Police Station)

45

Oxfordshire Castles

4/17/2007

Trevor Rowley

Mr Rowley introduce his topic by explaining that the castle as we see it around the country was a Norman import. The Saxons did not have the same type of structure relying on something more of a defended community. The Norman structures were private fortification and generally had a wooden wall and tower in the early days. They ranged from major developments with a motte and bailey and a substantial building stressing power and domination through to very minor establishments of little more than a mound with a tower on top. The large castles were generally centres of administration for an area of the country.

After the defeat of Harold at Hastings William moved north through Kent towards London and built castles as he moved through the country-side. He decided not to approach London immediately. He needed to establish his power base and so moved west along the Thames valley. He established his strongholds as he went, one being Windsor and here reached Wallingford before turning north it surround the capital with his supporters. Wallingford became another of the string of castles which eventually took over a large portion of the Anglo-Saxon town.

The county towns all had castles as they were administrative centres and Oxford was castle was important in this consolidation of power. The Saxon city was typically a defended town with towers at the gateways. St Michael in the Northgate's tower is the one of these and it is possible that St. George's tower was also part of this early defence; it was incorporated into the castle.

Although Oxford and Wallingford were the two major units within the county there were others. One at Deddington was fairly large but only lasted a short time. Chipping Norton was built by the Fitzallen family. A moated site existed at Cogges while the Bishop's Palace at Witney was fortified building of large size with a moat. A castle at Middleton Stoney started in the 12th Century and finished in the 13th Century. It stayed as a manor until the 18th century.

As time went on the early wooden structures were replaced by stone and many of the became very big, it is probable that within England and certainly our area, very few saw much military action. Many took on the role of prison as was Oxford, while others disappeared like Wallingford.