Old Wardour Castle
OLD WARDOUR CASTLE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1183429
- Date first listed:
- 25-Oct-1951
- List Entry Name:
- Old Wardour Castle
- Statutory Address:
- OLD WARDOUR CASTLE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-08-10
- Reference:
- IOE01/08264/03
- Rights:
- © Mrs Margaret U. Kingsland. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1183429
- Date first listed:
- 25-Oct-1951
- List Entry Name:
- Old Wardour Castle
- Statutory Address 1:
- OLD WARDOUR CASTLE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- OLD WARDOUR CASTLE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Tisbury
- District:
- Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Donhead St. Andrew
- National Grid Reference:
- ST9387126334
Details
DONHEAD ST. ANDREW
ST 92 NW
4/20
WARDOUR PARK (east side)
Old Wardour Castle
(previously listed in Tisbury C.P.)
25.10.51
GV
I
Castle, now ruin. 1390s for John, fifth
Lord Lovel, remodelled 1570s for Sir Matthew Arundell by Robert
Smythson. Limestone ashlar. Hexagonal plan with projecting towers
flanking north entrance, enclosed hexagonal courtyard. Two
storeys, 6 windows to entrance. Central 1570s round-arched doorway
with block rustication to pilasters, shell-headed niches either
side, Latin inscription over records rebuilding date, hall above
lit by two large C14 pointed windows with missing tracery, corbels
for machicolation over, flanking towers have four symmetrically
placed 2-light Tudor-arched windows and moulded string course with
rosettes to former parapet. Other sides have groups of three
Tudor-arched lights some being blind to complete the symmetry. The
south west wall has been completely destroyed, together with parts
of west and south walls. Interior of courtyard has fine classical
doorway of 1570s to foot of stairs; round arch with fluted
pilasters to Doric entablature, spandrels and plinths decorated
with lions' heads. Main feature of interior is first floor hall
over entrance with screens passage and services to south east end,
vaulted undercrofts and entrance passage below, other apartments
including the lord's chambers were in 3-storey ranges to west and
south of the hall. Castle partly destroyed during Civil War sieges
of 1643 and 1644, replaced by James Paine's Wardour Castle (q.v.)
in 1776 when bailey (q.v.) laid out as pleasure gardens. Scheduled
ancient monument, Wiltshire No 243.
(DOE Guide - Old Wardour Castle, 1968; M. Girouard, Robert
Smythson and the Elizabethan Country House, 1983)
This entry was subject to a Minor Spatial Amendment on 19th February 2016.
Listing NGR: ST9387126334
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 320803
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Old Wardour Castle, (1968)
Girouard, M, Robert Smythson and the Elizabethan Country House, (1983)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jun-2026 at 15:22:03.
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