Tiverton Castle
Encyclopedia
Tiverton Castle is the remains of a Castle
with a later manor house
within its grounds that stands on a cliffside above the banks of the River Exe
at Tiverton in Devon
, England
.
Once considerably larger, Tiverton Castle now comprises a group of ruined defensive perimeter walls, towers and buildings from various periods. A Norman
motte was originally built in 1106 and was then extended and altered in the 12th and 13th centuries.
During the English Civil War
Fairfax
's Parliamentarian troops laid siege to a troop of Royalists within the Castle. Fairfax set up his headquarters at Blundell's School
and stationed his artillery on Skrink Hills or Shrink Hills just above him below Cranmore Castle
. This is about half a mile from the Castle, but the Culverin, the largest artillery piece used by the New Model Army
was capable of firing up to 2000 Yards. Whilst they were still finding their range a lucky shot hit one of the chains holding up the drawbridge and a small troop of alert roundheads were able to swiftly gain entry, putting an end to the siege almost before it had started. The bulk of the defensive structure was then demolished by Parliamentarian troops to prevent any re-use of the structure defensively.
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...
with a later manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
within its grounds that stands on a cliffside above the banks of the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
at Tiverton in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Once considerably larger, Tiverton Castle now comprises a group of ruined defensive perimeter walls, towers and buildings from various periods. A Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
motte was originally built in 1106 and was then extended and altered in the 12th and 13th centuries.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
's Parliamentarian troops laid siege to a troop of Royalists within the Castle. Fairfax set up his headquarters at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
and stationed his artillery on Skrink Hills or Shrink Hills just above him below Cranmore Castle
Cranmore Castle
Cranmore Castle is an Iron Age earthwork situated on a hillside above the Devon town of Tiverton in south-west England. Its National Grid reference is SS958118...
. This is about half a mile from the Castle, but the Culverin, the largest artillery piece used by the New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
was capable of firing up to 2000 Yards. Whilst they were still finding their range a lucky shot hit one of the chains holding up the drawbridge and a small troop of alert roundheads were able to swiftly gain entry, putting an end to the siege almost before it had started. The bulk of the defensive structure was then demolished by Parliamentarian troops to prevent any re-use of the structure defensively.