Rougemont Castle
Encyclopedia
Rougemont Castle is the historic castle
of Exeter
.
The castle was first built in 1068 to help William the Conqueror maintain control over the city. It is perched on an ancient volcanic plug
, overlaying remains of the Roman
city of Isca Dumnoniorum
. The castle is named after the red stone found in the hill, and used in the construction of the original buildings, of which only ruins remain.
Until 2003 the intact Georgian buildings of the castle remained the seat of royal power in the county and served as home to Exeter's Crown and County Courts. As a result the castle has been one of the least known and accessible parts of the city, and few local residents have set foot beyond its gates; it has never been accessible to tourists.
Following the failure of a scheme for the Exeter City Council to purchase them, the buildings were subsequently sold by the Department of Constitutional Affairs to a private development partnership. New courts were built in Exeter's legal quarter in 2004, as difficulties over disabled access on the steep castle site had become a major problem.
The castle is subject to a high degree of legal protection as a Scheduled Monument, and its main structures are all either Grade I or Grade II* listed buildings. As the relevant planning authority, the city council explained its concerns about the future of the castle. It stated its view that whatever its future use, the castle should be opened up to reasonable public access and integrated into the cultural quarter of the city as a key element, the historic importance and quality of the site and buildings should be respected, and at least the impressive courtyard of the castle should be available for public events even if the buildings are purchased for commercial use. As an example of this new use, the band Coldplay
played a charity concert in the courtyard in December 2009.
In 2011, the former Court 1 reopened as the Ballroom, with its arched windows lowered to floor level; lavatories have been installed in the former holding cells for prisoners. Court 2 reopened as the Gallery, of 150 square metres. In addition, 12 new apartments have been created within the walls of the castle.
The castle is surrounded on three sides by the Rougemont Gardens
and Northernhay Gardens
, public parks maintained by Exeter City Council.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
.
Volcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
, overlaying remains of the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
city of Isca Dumnoniorum
Isca Dumnoniorum
Isca Dumnoniorum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia and the capital of Dumnonia in the sub-Roman period. Today it is known as Exeter, located in the English county of Devon.-Fortress:...
. The castle is named after the red stone found in the hill, and used in the construction of the original buildings, of which only ruins remain.
Until 2003 the intact Georgian buildings of the castle remained the seat of royal power in the county and served as home to Exeter's Crown and County Courts. As a result the castle has been one of the least known and accessible parts of the city, and few local residents have set foot beyond its gates; it has never been accessible to tourists.
Following the failure of a scheme for the Exeter City Council to purchase them, the buildings were subsequently sold by the Department of Constitutional Affairs to a private development partnership. New courts were built in Exeter's legal quarter in 2004, as difficulties over disabled access on the steep castle site had become a major problem.
The castle is subject to a high degree of legal protection as a Scheduled Monument, and its main structures are all either Grade I or Grade II* listed buildings. As the relevant planning authority, the city council explained its concerns about the future of the castle. It stated its view that whatever its future use, the castle should be opened up to reasonable public access and integrated into the cultural quarter of the city as a key element, the historic importance and quality of the site and buildings should be respected, and at least the impressive courtyard of the castle should be available for public events even if the buildings are purchased for commercial use. As an example of this new use, the band Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
played a charity concert in the courtyard in December 2009.
In 2011, the former Court 1 reopened as the Ballroom, with its arched windows lowered to floor level; lavatories have been installed in the former holding cells for prisoners. Court 2 reopened as the Gallery, of 150 square metres. In addition, 12 new apartments have been created within the walls of the castle.
The castle is surrounded on three sides by the Rougemont Gardens
Rougemont Gardens
The Rougemont Gardens is an ornamental open space adjacent to the Rougemont Castle in Exeter, Devon. The gardens are bounded by Northernhay Gardens and the Exeter City Central Library....
and Northernhay Gardens
Northernhay Gardens
Northernhay Gardens are located in Exeter, Devon, England, on the northern side of Rougemont Castle. They are the oldest public open space in England, being originally laid out in 1612 as a pleasure walk for Exeter residents...
, public parks maintained by Exeter City Council.
External links
- Exeter Castle official website - www.exetercastle.co.uk.
- "Historic castle goes up for sale". (7 November 2005). BBC News
- "Northernhay Gardens including the castle".