Warblington Castle

Warblington Castle stands in the village of Warblington near Langstone in Hampshire. Once a grand moated manor, most of it was destroyed during the English Civil War. Only a gate tower, part of a wall, and a gateway remain today. The surviving turret is octagonal, four storeys high, and built from brick with stone dressing. It once helped ships navigate Langstone channel. The ruins are privately owned and not open to the public. The castle has a long history linked to powerful figures. A Saxon settlement existed here in the 7th century and was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Owners included Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury, William de Courci, and Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, built a new moated manor between 1515 and 1525. Visitors over the centuries included Mary of Guise, Edward VI, and possibly Elizabeth I. Visitors can still see the octagonal turret, the stone arch of the gate, and part of the moat’s drawbridge supports. The nearby Warblington Conservation Area includes St Thomas à Becket Church and the Old Rectory. The Old Farm House, once home to Olympic rowers, sits on the estate. The castle’s remains are Grade II* listed and a scheduled monument. A scene from Ken Russell’s 1975 film *Tommy* was filmed here, featuring Roger Daltrey in a hang-gliding stunt.