A digital reconstruction of Orford Castle, Suffolk, viewed from the South West, shows the castle in the early thirteenth century. Built for Henry II of England between about 1165 and 1173, the castle stood within an already thriving Suffolk port and formed part of a wider programme of development that included land reclamation on Orford Ness and the construction of St Bartholomew’s church. The castle was intended to strengthen royal authority in East Anglia and counterbalance the influence of the powerful Bigod family. Today, the principal surviving element is its distinctive polygonal keep, once enclosed by a roughly egg-shaped bailey with a stone curtain wall, ditch, and southern gatehouse approached via a causeway and bridge; most of these outer defences were lost by the 17th century. The bailey featured a symmetrical arrangement of mural towers—an advanced design later seen at Dover Castle and Framlingham Castle—but appears to have contained few permanent buildings, suggesting that accommodation was concentrated within the keep itself. Likely designed by the royal engineer Ailnoth, the keep is a geometric and architectural innovation, its plan based on a 15m-diameter circle with three projecting turrets positioned at the vertices of an equilateral triangle. Constructed from local septaria with imported Barnack and Caen stone, and originally rendered and lime-washed, it differs markedly from the typical rectangular keeps of the period.
How this image was made
Software and tools used: Blender 3D, Cycles Render Engine, Photoshop
Notes: This is one of several reconstructed perspectives of Orford Castle, including some of its interior spaces, rendered from a detailed 3D computer model. The model was based on measured survey data provided by English Heritage, with input and advice from several architectural historians. Some of the initial modelling was carried out by Carlos Lemos. I took over to add fine details, apply texturing to the model, and render the castle within its landscape environment.
About the images in my portfolio
You may notice subtle shapes and patterns in some of the images in my online portfolio, affecting their visual quality. I am experimenting with free tools developed by researchers at the University of Chicago to help artists protect their work from unauthorised AI training. It subtly alters images in ways that are almost invisible to people but can confuse AI models, making it much harder for them to learn and reproduce an artist's distinctive style.
Commissioned Work
Artist:
Bob Marshall. 2018
Contributing Artists:
Carlos Lemos
Client:
English Heritage Trust / Historic England
Image rights owner:
© English Heritage Trust / Historic England
Please seek the permission of the owner to use or display this image elsewhere.
My 3D models cannot be shared or licensed for other use due to contractual agreements with my clients and, in some cases, other stakeholders. More information can be found on my Licensing information page.
I had the good fortune to work with Bob on the reconstructions of Orford Castle. He combines excellent skills as an artist with valuable knowledge of historic buildings and impeccable communication skills. It’s a delight to watch his illustrations evolve draft by draft and Bob’s style gives his work a feeling of authenticity. He is adept at both exteriors and interiors, with an excellent appreciation of composition and the use of light. Not only does Bob produce outstanding reconstructions but the process from start to finish is smooth and clearly articulated.
Richard Nevell. Properties Historian
English Heritage
