{{Short description|Ruined castle in Baden-Württemberg, Germany}} {{infobox military installation | name = Hertenstein Castle | image = frameless| | image2 = | caption = Remains of the keep | native_name = | built = Early 13th century | type = Spur castle | condition = Ruin | materials = Buckel stone | location = Blaufelden-Billingsbach | occupants = Ministerialis | coordinates = {{coord|49.297879|9.888543|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | map_type = Baden-Württemberg#Germany | code = DE-BW | height = {{Höhe|442.8|DE-NN|link=true}} }} thumb|right|Hertenstein Castle, part of the moat thumb|right|Hertenstein Castle, part of the moat '''Hertenstein Castle''' is a ruined spur castle approximately {{convert|900|m|ft|abbr=off}} southwest of the village of Billingsbach, part of the municipality of Blaufelden, in the district of Schwäbisch Hall in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
== Description == The castle is located on a steep hill above the confluence of two streams (the ''Billingsbach'' and the ''Rötelbach'') at an elevation of {{convert|442|m|ft|abbr=off}}. The main approach of the castle to the northeast was protected by an {{convert|80|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} long artificial moat running from the steep slopes to the north towards the neighbouring hill in the south. The moat is between {{convert|5|and|6|m|ft}} deep. Out of the moat a mound rises which are the remains of the outer ward, followed by a drop of {{convert|3|to|4|m|ft}} towards the inner ward. Inside the inner ward is a flat triangular area about {{convert|32|m|ft|abbr=off}} long and {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=off}} wide, in the middle of which the remains of the ''bergfried '' (keep) are found. All that is left of the keep is a mound rising up to {{convert|5|m|ft|abbr=off}} with a diameter of {{convert|8|m|ft|abbr=off}}. The keep was built of rustication buckel stones (squared-off stones with a rounded outer surface).<ref>A. Schneider, ''Die Burgen im Kreis Schwäbisch Hall'', p. 28</ref>
Only the moat is clearly visible today as none of the castle's structures above ground have survived. The whole area is covered by dense woodland.
== History == The castle was built in the early 13th century. The original builders and owners of the castle are unknown. The existence of a castle is only documented as late as 1314 when a certain Eberhard von Hertenstein, lord of Billingsbach and vassal of the counts of Hohenlohe, appeared as a witness in a charter. The lords of Billingsbach seemed to have moved to the spur castle at the beginning of the 14th century.<ref>A. Schneider, ''Die Burgen im Kreis Schwäbisch Hall'', p. 28</ref> Yet, towards the end of the 14th century, after the extinction of the House of Billingsbach and the castle's return to the counts of Hohenlohe in 1370, the castle appeared to have lost its function as a dwelling place for the local nobility.<ref>Statistisches Landesamt Württemberg (ed.), ''Das Königreich Württemberg'', p. 182</ref> On a map from 1578, the castle is indicated as being in a ruinous state.<ref>K. Schumm,"Landkarten als Quellenmaterial", p. 129</ref>
== Function == A trading route leading from Künzelsau through the valley of the Jagst towards Schrozberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber passed through Billingsbach, where it crossed two streams. One of the functions of Hertenstein Castle was to guard this crossing and to protect travellers.<ref>A. Schneider, ''Die Burgen im Kreis Schwäbisch Hall'', p. 30</ref>
== Excavation == In 1948 and 1950, excavations on a small scale revealed shards of ceramics and other artefacts<ref>U. Lobbedey, ''Untersuchungen mittelalterlicher Keramik,'' p. 61</ref> from the medieval period as well as the 16th century, indicating that the castle was inhabited at least until the early modern period.<ref>A. Schneider, ''Die Burgen im Kreis Schwäbisch Hall'', p. 28f.</ref>
== See also == * List of castles in Baden-Württemberg
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == *{{cite book | last = Königlich Statistisch-Topographisches Bureau (Württemberg) (ed.) | title = Beschreibung des Oberamts Gerabronn | publisher = Cotta| year = 1847 | location = Stuttgart - Tübingen}} {{in lang|de}} *{{Cite book | last = Lobbedey | first = Uwe| title = Untersuchungen mittelalterlicher Keramik, vornehmlich aus Südwestdeutschland | publisher = de Gruyter | year = 1968| location = Berlin }} {{in lang|de}} *{{Cite book | last = Schneider| first = Alois| title = Die Burgen im Kreis Schwäbisch Hall. Eine Bestandsaufnahme | publisher = Theiss| year = 1995| location = Stuttgart| isbn = 3-8062-1228-7}} {{in lang|de}} *{{Citation | last = Schumm | first = Karl | title = Landkarten als Quellenmaterial | journal = Schwäbische Heimat | volume = 3 | pages = 128–140 | year = 1952 | language = de}} *{{Cite book | last = Statistisches Landesamt Württemberg (ed.)| title = Das Königreich Württemberg. Eine Beschreibung nach Kreisen, Oberämtern und Gemeinden. Teil 3: Jagstkreis | publisher = Kohlhammer| year = 1906| location = Stuttgart}} {{in lang|de}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Hertenstein Castle (Billingsbach)}} {{Castles in Schwäbisch Hall}}
Category:Castles in Schwäbisch Hall (district)