Hongrefort

Hungerford

This castle was in or near the forest of Landoine.

Its lord, Count Alout of the Land of the Heather, left the castle to his two daughters, but their uncle, Galindes (Gallidés), besieged them because the Damsel of Hongrefort refused to marry his seneschal. Sir Bors, brought to the area by a younger sister, Amide, defeated four of Galindes' knights, killing two and sending the other two to the Damsel of Hongrefort. One of these two prisoners was the seneschal himself.

Very reluctantly he gave his word to deliver himself to the Damsel and kept it, even though he passed through Galindes' camp on the way to the castle. His fears were fully justified, for the chatelaine, in her haste and rage, had her proposed bridegroom and his companion bound hand and foot and shot from a mangonel into Galindes' camp. Galindes swore to treat any captured enemies in similar fashion.

Bors learned of this the next time he went out to fight Galindes' knights on behalf of the Damsel. He finished the fight, defeating fifteen or sixteen men in succession and finally conquering Galindes himself. Bors had to finish this fight with his shield, because at a crucial point Seraide came and tested him by asking for his sword, which he courteously gave her. In displeasure at the chatelaine's treatment of the prisoners, Bors then rode off with Seraide.

The Damsel of Hongrefort, who had been much taken with Bors, left the castle in charge of her sister and rode off with four knights, seven squires, and three other damsels, wearing their garments inside-out and riding horses without manes or tails, to do penance and find Bors. She met Bors again in Gloevant Wood (Gloeven), but did not know him because he was carrying the shield King Agrippe's daughter had given him. She and her cousin, the Damsel of Glocedon, finally found and recognized him in Roevant Wood, where she obtained his pardon.

This castle, mentioned in the Vulgate Lancelot, is possibly the actual Hungerford in Berkshire.