Orford Castle aerial pic
Orford Castle aerial view - Suffolk
Built by Henry II between 1165–1173, Orford Castle was designed to assert royal power in East Anglia, countering the influence of the Bigod family. Its distinctive polygonal keep, with three clasping towers, remains one of the most complete and unusual keeps in England. Once a royal stronghold, it later passed to the Uffords and other noble families, and by the 16th century much of the outer bailey had been dismantled.
The keep was preserved as a landmark for shipping, restored in the 19th century, and gifted to the Orford Town Trust in 1928. It came under state care in 1962 and is now managed by English Heritage.
Between 2022 and 2023 a £1 million conservation project was carried out after more than a decade of research. The castle’s walls, built largely from fragile local mudstone (septaria), had been eroding badly. To halt further decay, specialists applied a protective lime render across more than 400 m² of wall surface, using some 24 tonnes of material. Additional repairs included work to the roof, drainage, stone dressings and timber windows.
The project, completed in late 2022, has stabilised the structure and given the castle renewed protection against the coastal climate
Visitors can explore from basement to roof, with displays from the Orford Museum Trust inside. Famous locally is the legend of the “Wild Man of Orford,” a mysterious hairy figure said to have been captured here in the 12th century.
Orford Castle aerial pic
Orford Castle aerial view - Suffolk
Built by Henry II between 1165–1173, Orford Castle was designed to assert royal power in East Anglia, countering the influence of the Bigod family. Its distinctive polygonal keep, with three clasping towers, remains one of the most complete and unusual keeps in England. Once a royal stronghold, it later passed to the Uffords and other noble families, and by the 16th century much of the outer bailey had been dismantled.
The keep was preserved as a landmark for shipping, restored in the 19th century, and gifted to the Orford Town Trust in 1928. It came under state care in 1962 and is now managed by English Heritage.
Between 2022 and 2023 a £1 million conservation project was carried out after more than a decade of research. The castle’s walls, built largely from fragile local mudstone (septaria), had been eroding badly. To halt further decay, specialists applied a protective lime render across more than 400 m² of wall surface, using some 24 tonnes of material. Additional repairs included work to the roof, drainage, stone dressings and timber windows.
The project, completed in late 2022, has stabilised the structure and given the castle renewed protection against the coastal climate
Visitors can explore from basement to roof, with displays from the Orford Museum Trust inside. Famous locally is the legend of the “Wild Man of Orford,” a mysterious hairy figure said to have been captured here in the 12th century.