Monument record MWX838 - Studland Castle

A castle is mentioned in 1381, and a battery was built between 1584 and 1586 at Handfast point, and a blockhouse is mentioned in 1732. No trace remains of any of these features.

The Foreland or Handfast Point (SZ 055825) is a high promontory shown on Ralph Treswell's map 1585-6 (see Hutchins p.580) as partly occupied by Studland Wood, and by an `enclosure' further inland called "Castell Leyes" (shown at circa SZ 047823). Coker in 1732 said of this place, "the land stretcheth forth a short promontory furnished with a blockhouse, for the more grace called Studland Castle". <1>

Mills adds that a "castellum de Studlande, the Castle of Studland" is mentioned in 1381 (PiH Papers in BM). <2>

Handfast (Point) is probably derived from `rock' or `high stronghold' with reference to Studland Castle or an earlier fort here. Battery or bulwark at Handfast Point. Between May 1584 and October 1586 a bulwark or battery was built at Handfast Point. A stone magazine was acquired and a new drawbridge called for. Of the battery, no trace remains. <3>

Listed as a vanished castle by Cathcart King. <4>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1861, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 1, 580 Copy of Tresswell's map (Monograph). SWX4496.

<1.1> Coker J, 1732, Survey of Dorset 1732 (Cartographic materials). SWX3374.

<2> Mills, A D, 1977, English Place-Name Society : the survey of English place-names [county volumes] Dorset, 44,46 (Monograph). SWX2586.

<3> Colvin, H M, 1982, History of the Kings Works Volume 4: 1485-1660 (Part 2), 469-470 (Monograph). SWX3337.

<4> Cathcart-King, D J, 1983, Castellarium anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands, 129 (Monograph). SDO16340.

<5> Papworth, M, 1995, Studland, Purbeck, Dorset, Wessex Region (Unpublished document). SDO14243.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457522 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2024 4:39PM