Swerford Castle was a medieval castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

 in the village of Swerford

Swerford

Swerford is a village and civil parish on the River Swere in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England. It is about northeast of Chipping Norton. Swerford has two main neighbourhoods: Church End and East End...

, Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

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History

Swerford Castle was built in a motte and bailey design in the 12th century. It was positioned so as to overlook the local ford of the River Swere and the village of Swerford

Swerford

Swerford is a village and civil parish on the River Swere in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England. It is about northeast of Chipping Norton. Swerford has two main neighbourhoods: Church End and East End...

. Archaeological remains suggest that the castle was probably constructed during the years of the Anarchy

The Anarchy

The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...

, probably by the same family that built Ascot d'Oilly Castle

Ascot d'Oilly Castle

Ascot d'Oilly Castle is situated north of the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire. It is a scheduled ancient monument. A fragment of the castle remains and is a Grade II listed building...

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The central motte is 18 m wide in diameter on top, and 30 m in diameter at the base, and 4 m tall; the wider bailey is approximately 52 m by 42 m, with a deep ditch. The remains today are a scheduled monument.