Scheduled MonumentsEnglandArundel Castle

Arundel Castle

England
List entry 1012500
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1012500
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
23.66 hectares
Grid reference
TQ 01669 07561
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Arundel Castle is a fortified residence in West Sussex that originated as a Norman motte-and-bailey castle founded in the late eleventh century, likely established shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The castle's keep, constructed on its substantial earthwork mound, dates from the late eleventh or early twelfth century and represents a significant example of early Norman military architecture. The site developed considerably during the medieval period, with substantial stone curtain walls and domestic buildings added during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, reflecting the residence's growing importance as both a stronghold and aristocratic seat. Arundel Castle has remained the principal seat of the Earls of Arundel and retains substantial medieval fabric alongside later additions, making it one of the most important surviving Norman castles in southern England.

Arundel Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1012500. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Arundel Castle?

Arundel Castle is a fortified residence in West Sussex that originated as a Norman motte-and-bailey castle founded in the late eleventh century, likely established shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1012500.

Who is responsible for protecting Arundel Castle?

Arundel Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1012500.

What other scheduled monuments are near Arundel Castle?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Maison Dieu (0.5 km), Ringwork 400m NNW of Batworthpark House (1.5 km), Tortington Augustinian priory and ponds, including part of priory precinct (1.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Arundel Castle

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Arundel Castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Arundel Castle report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle stands on White Chalk Subgroup, bedrock that formed in the Maastrichtian. The rock here is chalk.