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Ruardean Castle is a motte-and-bailey fortress located in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The castle dates to the Norman period, likely established in the late eleventh or early twelfth century, and represents a typical earthwork fortification of that era. It consists of a substantial mound with a bailey, demonstrating the characteristic defensive layout of early medieval castle construction. The site remains largely unexcavated, though the earthworks are still visible and form an important archaeological record of Norman settlement and control within the Forest of Dean region.
Ruardean Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1002098. View the official record →
Ruardean Castle is a motte-and-bailey fortress located in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1002098.
Ruardean 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 1002098.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Welshbury hillfort and associated earthworks (6.3 km), Little Dean camp (7.1 km), Soudley camp, Lower Soudley (8.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Ruardean Castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Ruardean Castle stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.