Cary Castle

This article is about former castle in Somerset, England. For the former official residence of the Lieutenant Governors of British Columbia, see Government House (British Columbia).

Cary Castle
Somerset, England
Earthworks of Cary Castle
Cary Castle
Coordinates	51.0880°N 2.5140°W / 51.0880; -2.5140
Grid reference	grid reference ST641322
Type	Motte and bailey
Site information
Condition	Only earthworks remain

Cary Castle stood on Lodge Hill overlooking the town of Castle Cary, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.^[1]

Details

The motte and bailey castle was built either by Walter of Douai or by his son Robert who also built Bampton Castle in Devon. During The Anarchy Robert was exiled by King Stephen and the castle given to Ralph Lovel who then sided with Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester against the king. King Stephen abandoned his siege of Bristol in 1138 and besieged Cary Castle with fire and showers of stones from siege engines.^[2] This lasted until the garrison surrendered due to hunger.^[3]

In 1143 Stephen lost control of the West Country after the Battle of Wilton. Henry de Tracy gained control of Cary Castle and built another stronghold in front of the older castle, however this was demolished when William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester and his troops arrived to take the castle. The Lovels later achieved the return of the castle, and their descendants were lords of the manor until the 14th century.^[2]

By 1468 the castle had been abandoned. Around that time a manor house was built on or adjacent to the site of the castle,^[4] possibly by Baron Zouche. It later passed to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset but by the 1630s it was occupied by Edward Kirton. It was largely demolished at the end of the 18th century.^[2]

The site was excavated in 1890 and demonstrated the foundations of a 24-metre square stone keep and an inner and outer bailey.^[1][5][6]

All that remains are the earthworks. Some of the castle's stonework may be seen in the town's buildings, and the Castle Cary and District Museum has a display about its history.

See also

• Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
• List of castles in England

References

1. "Monument No. 200127". Pastscape National Monuments Record. English Heritage. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
2. Dunning, Robert (1995). Somerset Castles. Tiverton: Somerset Books. pp. 32–33. ISBN 978-0-86183-278-1.
3. Meade (1858). "Castle Cary". Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society During the Years 1856–7. 7: 82–99.
4. Richardson, Miranda. "An archaeological assessment of Castle Cary" (PDF). English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey. Somerset County Council. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
5. Adkins, Lesley and Roy (1992). A field Guide to Somerset Archeology. Stanbridge: Dovecote press. p. 35. ISBN 0-946159-94-7.
6. "Castle, Castle Cary". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 17 July 2011.

Sources

• Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, The David & Charles Book of Castles, David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3