Listed Building: RUFUS CASTLE WITH BRIDGE (381924)

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

Record last edited

Oct 6 2009 11:08AM