| Wallingford Castle | |
|---|---|
| Oxfordshire, England | |
 Ruins of Wallingford Castle | |
  Wallingford Castle | |
| Coordinates | 51°36′10″N 1°07′20″W / 51.6029°N 1.1221°W |
| Grid reference | grid reference SU609897 |
| Type | Motte-and-bailey |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Battles/wars | The Anarchy, English Civil War |
Wallingford Castle is a medieval castle situated in Wallingford in the English county of Oxfordshire (historically Berkshire), adjacent to the River Thames. Established in the 11th century as a motte-and-bailey design within an Anglo-Saxon burgh, it grew to become what historian Nicholas Brooks has described as "one of the most powerful royal castles of the 12th and 13th centuries".[1] Held for the Empress Matilda during the civil war years of the Anarchy, it survived multiple sieges and was never taken. Over the next two centuries it became a luxurious castle, used by royalty and their immediate family. After being abandoned as a royal residence by Henry VIII, the castle fell into decline. Refortified during the English Civil War, it was eventually slighted, i.e. deliberately destroyed, after being captured by Parliamentary forces after a long siege. The site was subsequently left relatively undeveloped, and the limited remains of the castle walls and the considerable earthworks are now open to the public.
- ^ Brooks, p.17.