Cubic Volume of Castle Keeps
These are rough figures estimating the cubic volume of rectangular castle keeps
to give an indication of the size and therefore the relative cost of building such
structures. This table should be compared with the costs
incurred with building and repairing these keeps as noted in the
various tables for the works of Henry II (1154-89), Richard I
(1189-99) and King John (1199-1216).
Where the keeps have been damaged or destroyed rough estimates have
been made for their original height and 2 figures included which
probably mark the highest and lowest the keep might have stood.
Their actual height is probably roughly in the middle of the
2 figures. Where keeps have been later significantly
heightened the figure in brackets refers to the later keep size.
Logically larger keeps would have cost more to build than smaller ones,
although we have little idea of the level of decoration or furnishings
put into these keeps which may have been included in the pipe rolls
figures of expenditure.
Castles in Present Day England
* means keep standing on a motte, ie a mound on which the keep takes up
most of the motte top.
Castle |
Length |
Breadth |
Height |
Cubic Feet Volume |
Alberbury |
56' |
35' |
30' |
59,000 |
Appleby |
45' |
45' |
80' |
162,000 |
Bamburgh |
65' |
60' |
75' |
292,500 |
Benington |
45' |
41' |
?50'-80' |
92,000-147,500 |
Berkhamsted (bailey) |
40' |
23' |
?30'-80' |
27,500-73,500 |
Bowes |
80' |
60' |
50' |
240,000 |
Brandon |
52' |
40' |
?50'-80' |
104,000-166,500 |
Bredwardine |
78' |
45' |
?50'-80' |
175,500-280,000 |
Bridgnorth |
38½' |
35' |
70' |
94,500 |
Brough |
60' |
40' |
70' |
168,000 |
Brougham |
50' |
45' |
55' (70') |
124,000 (157,500) |
Bungay |
54' |
54' |
?50'-100' |
146,000-292,000 |
Canterbury |
87' |
75' |
?40'-100' |
261,000-652,500 |
Carlisle |
65' |
60' |
70' |
273,000 |
Castle Acre I |
80' |
75' |
?30' |
180,000 |
Castle Acre II |
40' |
40' |
?60'-90' |
96,000-144,000 |
Castle Cary |
80' |
75' |
?50'-100' |
300,000-600,000 |
Castle Rising |
80' |
65' |
50' |
260,000 |
Christchurch* |
50' |
45' |
?50'-70' |
112,500-157,500 |
Clithero |
35' |
35' |
60' |
73,500 |
Clun |
30' |
30' |
?40'-60'? |
36,000-54,000 |
Colchester |
150' |
110' |
?50'-70' |
825,000-1,155,000 |
Corfe |
58' |
55' |
75' |
240,000 |
Dover |
98' |
95' |
75' |
700,000 |
Duffield |
99' |
93' |
?60 |
552,500 |
Elmley |
80' |
65' |
?50'-70' |
260,000-364,000 |
Farnham |
50' |
50' |
?50'-70' |
125,000-175,000 |
Gidleigh |
35' |
26' |
30 |
27,500 |
Goodrich |
29' |
29' |
55' |
46,500 |
Guildford |
52' |
46' |
75' |
183,500 |
Hedingham |
58' |
53' |
90' |
277,000 |
Hopton |
45' |
40' |
55' |
99,000 |
Kenilworth |
85' |
65' |
50' (70') |
276,000 (387,000) |
Knaresborough |
65' |
52' |
?80' |
270,500 |
Knepp |
50' |
50' |
50'+ |
125,000+ |
Lancaster |
80' |
80' |
60' (70') |
384,000 (448,000) |
Lincoln (Observatory Tower)* |
45' |
45' |
?30'-80' |
60,500-162,000 |
Ludlow (gatehouse) |
55' |
45' |
80' |
198,000 |
Lydford |
50' |
50' |
?50'-80' |
125,000-200,000 |
Lydney |
55' |
45' |
?50'-80' |
124,000, 198,000 |
Middleham |
105' |
80' |
50' |
420,000 |
Mileham* |
50' |
50' |
?40'-80' |
100,000-200,000 |
Moreton Corbet |
38' |
33' |
45' |
56,500 |
Nether Stowey |
60' |
50' |
?50'-80' |
150,000-240,000 |
Newcastle on Tyne |
62' |
55' |
80' |
273,000 |
Norham |
86' |
65' |
90' |
503,000 |
Norwich |
95' |
90' |
70' |
598,500 |
Okehampton I* |
42' |
38' |
45' |
72,000 |
Okehampton II* |
48' |
35' |
45' |
76,000 |
Old Sarum |
65' |
60' |
?60-100' |
234,000-390,000 |
Oswestry* |
45' |
42' |
?40'-80' |
75,500-151,000 |
Oxford (St George) |
37' |
35' |
80' |
104,000 |
Peak |
40' |
40' |
60' |
96,000 |
Pevensey |
90' |
65' |
?50'-100' |
292,500-585,000 |
Pontesbury |
60' |
60' |
?40'-90' |
144,000-324,000 |
Portchester |
65' |
52' |
60' (100') |
203,000 (338,000) |
Prudhoe |
45' |
42' |
55' (70') |
104,000 (132,000) |
Richards Castle (bailey) |
45' |
33' |
?30'-70' |
44,500-104,000 |
Richmond (gatehouse) |
52' |
45' |
100' |
234,000 |
Rochester |
70' |
70' |
110' |
539,000 |
Rushen (without side towers) |
60' |
60' |
70' |
252,000 |
Ruyton IX Towns |
48' |
30' |
?30'-70' |
43,000-100,000 |
St Briavels |
45' |
45' |
50'-100' |
101,000-202,500 |
Saffron Walden |
55' |
55' |
?40'-100' |
121,000-302,500 |
Scarborough |
56' |
56' |
90' |
282,000 |
Sherborne |
65' |
60' |
?60'-100' |
234,000-390,000 |
Sutton Valance* |
40' |
37' |
?60'-100' |
89,000-148,000 |
Taunton |
80' |
63' |
?60'-100' |
303,000-504,000 |
Tower of London |
120' |
105' |
90' |
1,134,000 |
Wattlesborough |
30' |
30' |
55' |
49,500 |
Waytemore |
38' |
38' |
?30-80' |
43,000-116,000 |
West Malling |
32' |
32' |
70 |
72,000 |
Whittington |
52' |
38' |
?60'-100' |
119,000-198,000 |
Winchester (destroyed) |
55' |
55' |
?60'-100' |
181,500-302,500 |
Wolvesey |
55' |
50' |
70' |
192,500 |
Castles in Present Day Wales
Those castles in italic are probably Welsh built.
Castle |
Length |
Breadth |
Height |
Cubic Feet Volume |
Aberedw I* |
30' |
30' |
?40'-60' |
36,000-54,000 |
Blaenllyfni |
55' |
25' |
?60'-100' |
82,500-137,500 |
Bwlch y Dinas |
60' |
40' |
?40'-70' |
96,000-168,000 |
Carndochan |
35' |
35' |
?40'-80' |
49,000-98,000 |
Carreg Cennen |
30' |
30' |
?50'-80' |
45,000-72,000 |
Coity |
40' |
35' |
?50'-80' |
70,000-112,000 |
Criccieth |
43' |
32' |
?40'-70' |
55,000-96,000 |
Dinas Bran |
60' |
50' |
?40-60' |
120,000-180,000 |
Dinas Emrys |
36' |
27' |
?40-70' |
39,000-68,000 |
Dolforwyn |
55' |
40' |
?40-70' |
88,000-154,000 |
Dolwyddelan I* |
25' |
25' |
?30-60' |
19,000-37,500 |
Dolwyddelan II |
44' |
31' |
40' |
55,000 |
Fonmon |
45' |
25' |
45' |
51,000 |
Glan Edw* |
54' |
36' |
?40'-60' |
78,000-117,000 |
Grosmont (hall) |
95' |
42' |
40' |
160,000 |
Hay on Wye (gatehouse) |
32' |
28' |
60' |
54,000 |
Hyssington* |
27' |
27' |
?30'-60' |
22,000-44,000 |
Kenfig |
45' |
45' |
?40'-70' |
81,000-142,000 |
Loughor |
28' |
24' |
40' |
27,000 |
Machen* |
45' |
30' |
?30'-60' |
40,500-81,000 |
Manorbier |
25' |
20' |
55' |
27,500 |
Monmouth (hall) |
70' |
48' |
?40-60' |
135,000-200,000 |
Ogmore |
46' |
22' |
40' (60') |
40,000 (61,000) |
Oystermouth |
60' |
40' |
35' (55') |
84,000 (132,000) |
Pencelli |
50' |
50' |
?40-100' |
100,000-250,000 |
Talgarth |
28' |
28' |
40' |
31,000 |
Usk |
35' |
35' |
65' |
80,000 |
White Castle |
35' |
35' |
?40'-80' |
49,000-98,000 |
Y Bere |
50' |
35' |
?40'-80' |
70,000-140,000 |
Castles in Present Day Scotland
Castle |
Length |
Breadth |
Height |
Cubic Feet Volume |
Cubbie Roos |
26' |
26' |
30'-60' |
20,000-40,000 |
Dalhousie South Block |
62' |
38' |
50' |
118,000 |
Dalhousie North Block |
29' |
20' |
50' |
29,000 |
Dalhouse total L shaped keep |
|
|
|
147,000 |
Drum |
50' |
50' |
70' |
175,000 |
Duffus |
60' |
50' |
40' |
120,000 |
Dumbarton |
40' |
25' |
70-100' |
70,000-100,000 |
Edinburgh East Block |
51' |
38' |
60' |
116,000 |
Edinburgh West Block |
21' |
18' |
60' |
23,000 |
Edinburgh total L shaped keep |
|
|
|
139,000 |
Eilean Donan |
54' |
41' |
60' |
133,000 |
Loch Leven |
37' |
32' |
55' (65') |
65,000 (77,000) |
Wick |
33' |
23' |
40'-60' |
30,000-46,000 |
Castles in Ireland
Castle |
Length |
Breadth |
Height |
Cubic Feet Volume |
Adare |
43' |
35' |
60' |
90,000 |
Askeaton |
38' |
28' |
90' |
96,000 |
Athenry |
54' |
35' |
40' (55') |
76,000 (104,000) |
Cahir (gatehouse) |
85' |
65' |
60' |
332,000 |
Carrickfergus |
55' |
55' |
90' |
272,000 |
Castleroche |
40' |
36' |
?20'-70' |
29,000-100,000 |
Clonmacnoise |
62' |
38' |
?40'-80' |
94,000-189,000 |
Dunamase |
115' |
66' |
35' |
266,000 |
Glanworth |
42' |
36' |
30' |
45,000 |
Greencastle |
70' |
40' |
55' |
154,000 |
Maynooth |
70' |
60' |
60' (70') |
252,000 (294,000) |
Trim (without side towers) |
65' |
60' |
55' (75') |
214,500 (292,500) |
Copyright©2021
Paul Martin Remfry