Ashley Castle

The remains of Ashley Castle are in the small village of Ashley, Hampshire (grid reference SU385308).

The castle (also sometimes referred to as Gains Castle), was built in 1138, on the site of a former Iron Age fort. The site is likely to have been of strategic value, standing on high ground, having a well, and lying a short distance from the Roman road from Winchester to Sarum. Its original builder was the powerful Henry de Blois, a grandson of William I of England, the younger brother of King Stephen. He was the Bishop of Winchester from 1129 until his death 1171, a prolific builder (including of Wolvesey Palace, the bishop's palace in Winchester), and one of the most powerful figures of his day. The castle was built during the Anarchy, a prolonged period of unrest and civil war between opposing factions led by King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. In 1155, shortly after the accession of King Henry II, Ashley castle was slighted along with other castles built by Henry of Blois (PDF) http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-769-1/dissemination/pdf/vol04/4_081_094.pdf.  Missing or empty |title= (help)</ref>. Although Henrry II was the son of the Empress Matilda, this was not necessarily an act of retaliation against Henry of Blois; in re-asserting royal authority through the realm, Henry II destroyed numerous unauthorised castles that had been raised during the Anarchy. http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/south_east/ashley_castle_hampshire.html.  Missing or empty |title= (help)</ref>

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