| Orford Castle | |
|---|---|
| Suffolk, England | |
 The keep of Orford Castle | |
  Orford Castle | |
| Coordinates | 52°05′37″N 1°31′48″E / 52.0936°N 1.5300°E |
| Grid reference | grid reference TM419498 |
| Type | Keep and bailey |
| Site information | |
| Owner | English Heritage |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Keep remains |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Caen stone, mudstone, coralline, Northamptonshire limestone |
Orford Castle is a castle in Orford in the English county of Suffolk, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Ipswich, with views over Orford Ness. It was built between 1165 and 1173 by Henry II of England to consolidate royal power in the region. The well-preserved keep, described by historian R. Allen Brown as "one of the most remarkable keeps in England", is of a unique design and probably based on Byzantine architecture. The keep stands within the earth-bank remains of the castle's outer fortifications.