Papers of D.J. Cathcart King

The collection consists of correspondence, autobiographical material, notes, photographs, plans and drafts of published books and articles. The papers are split into two sections, published works and pictorial records. Much of the work concerns castles and fortifications, such as Llanstephan and Pembroke Castle in Wales, Bow & Arrow Castle in Portland, Dorset, and The Dean, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. There is also an index of rolled and loose plans within the collection.

David James Cathcart King was a graduate and in 1939 became the first LL.M. of the University of Bristol, as well as having a distinguished military career. King taught history at Walton Lodge Preparatory school, Bristol. He visited virtually every castle in England, Ireland and Wales, making notes and accurate site plans. Author of Castellarium Anglicanum: An index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands (1983, 2 volumes), as well as The Castle in England and Wales: An interpretative history (1988), and The Citadel of Damascus: A great Mohammedan fortress of the time of the Crusades (1951).

The papers are arranged in two main sections, namely published work, which also includes notes and other written material, and pictorial work, which also includes his site maps and plans.

Accessible to all bona fide readers

Given to University of Bristol Special Collections by D.J. Cathcart King in 1990.

This description was compiled on the 12th of August, 2002, by Martin Hall, Assistant Archivist at University of Bristol Special Collections.

Typescript catalogue available in University of Bristol Special Collections

Permission must be obtained from the University of Bristol Special Collections

No further accruals expected

See DM 1656 - 2 archive boxes containing offprints of articles by D.J. Cathcart King.