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The Great Britain Guide

Castles · East of England

Orford Castle

Also known as: Castell Orford

Norman & medievalEnglish HeritagePaid admission♿ Wheelchair: limited

Orford Castle — Grade I listed historic house museum in Suffolk Coastal, United Kingdom.

Orford Castle, castles in Suffolk

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
  • Paid entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access
Visit on english-heritage.org.uk

About

Orford Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1165. Designed by Alnoth. Constructed primarily of Caen stone. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Owned by Richard I of England. Managed by English Heritage. Part of Orford Castle with adjoining quarry and remains of 20th century look-out post. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed historic house museum in Suffolk Coastal, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 52.0942°, 1.5307°.

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Heritage listing

Orford Castle is a castle in Orford in the English county of Suffolk, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Ipswich, with views over Orford Ness. It was built between 1165 and 1173 by Henry II of England to consolidate royal power in the region. The well-preserved keep, described by historian R. Allen Brown as "one of the most remarkable keeps in England", is of a unique design and probably based on Byzantine architecture.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

Protected designations

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: Alde-Ore Estuary SSSI
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: Sandlings Forest SSSI
  • National Nature Reserve: ORFORDNESS-HAVERGATE
  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Suffolk Coast & Heaths

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Orford Castle is a castle in Orford in the English county of Suffolk, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Ipswich, with views over Orford Ness. It was built between 1165 and 1173 by Henry II of England to consolidate royal power in the region. The well-preserved keep, described by historian R. Allen Brown as "one of the most remarkable keeps in England", is of a unique design and probably based on Byzantine architecture. The keep stands within the earth-bank remains of the castle's outer fortifications.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Coordinates
52.0942, 1.5307
County
Suffolk
District
East Suffolk
Parish
Orford
Postcode
IP12 2NF
Parliamentary constituency
Suffolk Coastal
Phone
01394 450472
Established
1165

Sources

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Nearby

Other works by Alnoth

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Orford Castle?
Orford Castle is in Suffolk, East of England, United Kingdom (postcode IP12 2NF), in the parish of Orford.
When was Orford Castle built?
Built or established in 1165. Designed by Alnoth.
Who owns Orford Castle?
Orford Castle is owned by Richard I of England and operated by English Heritage.
Is Orford Castle a listed building?
Orford Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
Is Orford Castle a protected site?
Yes — Orford Castle is part of the Alde-Ore Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Sandlings Forest SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Does Orford Castle charge admission?
Orford Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.