Description

PORTLAND

SY6871 CHURCH OPE ROAD, Easton
969-1/4/32 (South side)
16/01/51 Rufus Castle with bridge

I

Formerly known as: Bow and Arrow Castle CHURCH OPE ROAD.
Castle. Present structure probably late C15, on site of
earlier building captured in 1142 by Earl Robert of
Gloucester. The approach bridge and present entry archway are
C19, and were already here in 1842. Squared and snecked
Portland stone, unroofed. An irregular pentagon with remains
of an outer bailey contained by remaining section of wall to
SW; connected by lofty C19 round-arched bridge to high land
across Church Ope Road, to the north. Remaining keep has C19
round-arched entry across this bridge; walls have many
regularly-spaced putlog holes. The 'Tudor' arched entry to the
SW was inserted by John Penn, of the adjacent Pennsylvania
Castle. There are a few remaining stones of the former
machicolation on the W and N walls, and the walls generally
run to full height, but some of the SE wall has fallen away.
The N and W walls also have series of round gun-ports, with
embrasures behind. RCHM notes chamfered stone jamb of SE
doorway. The outer bailey wall follows the land slope, and is
from c 1m to c 1.5m high, to rounded coping.
(Royal Commission on Historical Monuments: Dorset: London:
1970-: 252-4; Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Newman J:
Dorset: London: 1972-1989: 342).

Listing NGR: SY6975771175

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Rufus Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7378017

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Old House Care and Repair