Horsford Castle
Encyclopedia
Horsford Castle is situated in the village of Horsford
, 6 miles to the north of the city of Norwich
.
, Horsford was held by an Anglo-Saxon named Edric but after the conquest William the Conqueror granted the land to Robert Malet
, the Lord of Eye. Robert was exiled after he sided against Henry I
, but had by then granted the manor of Horsford to Walter de Caen. Walter built a motte and bailey castle on the site, in an area of heathland, possibly positioning his castle to make a political statement about his control of these pasturelands. He turned the surrounding area into a park
. The motte was 77 metres by 85 metres wide, and around 2.3m high, with a single bailey 72 metres by 32 metres wide.
Walter's son Robert fitz Walter was Sheriff
of Norfolk from 1115 to 1129. When Robert and his wife were returning from a pilgrimage to Rome
, they were attacked by bandits, robbed and thrown into prison. However after praying to St Faith
, they were released, and Robert subsequently founded the monastery
of St Faith's near the castle.
Horsford
Horsford is a village six miles north of Norwich, England. Its population has seen a steady increase since the Second World War, growing from 750 in 1945 to just under 4000 today .There are various explanations of the village name...
, 6 miles to the north of the city of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
.
Details
Before the Norman conquest of EnglandNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, Horsford was held by an Anglo-Saxon named Edric but after the conquest William the Conqueror granted the land to Robert Malet
Robert Malet
Robert Malet was an English/ Norman baron and a close advisor of Henry I.-Biography:Malet was the son of William Malet, and inherited his father's great honour of Eye in 1071. This made him one of the dozen or so greatest landholders in England...
, the Lord of Eye. Robert was exiled after he sided against Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
, but had by then granted the manor of Horsford to Walter de Caen. Walter built a motte and bailey castle on the site, in an area of heathland, possibly positioning his castle to make a political statement about his control of these pasturelands. He turned the surrounding area into a park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
. The motte was 77 metres by 85 metres wide, and around 2.3m high, with a single bailey 72 metres by 32 metres wide.
Walter's son Robert fitz Walter was Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Norfolk from 1115 to 1129. When Robert and his wife were returning from a pilgrimage to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, they were attacked by bandits, robbed and thrown into prison. However after praying to St Faith
St Faith
Saint Faith is a saint who is said to have been a girl or young woman of Agen in Aquitaine. Her legend recounts how she was arrested during persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire and refused to make pagan sacrifices even under torture. Saint Faith was tortured to death with a red-hot brazier...
, they were released, and Robert subsequently founded the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of St Faith's near the castle.
Today
The site seems to have been abandoned around the middle of the fifteenth century. All that now remains is the low-lying motte and bailey in a field to the east of the village. The castle is a scheduled monument.Further reading
- Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, The David & Charles Book of Castles, David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3