Totnes Castle
Encyclopedia
Totnes Castle is one of the best preserved examples of a Norman
motte and bailey castle in England
. It is situated in the town of Totnes
on the River Dart
in Devon
. The surviving stone keep
and curtain wall
date from around the 14th century.
The first castle on this site is believed to have been built by the Breton Juhel of Totnes
(also known as Judhael) who was one of William the Conqueror's lieutenant
s. The manor
of Totnes was granted to him in 1068, and in order to cement his control over the area he constructed a fortification
and founded a priory
within the town. However, this first construction probably consisted of a wooden palisade
and tower. On the death of William I, Juhel lost his lands, possibly as a result of his support for the Rebellion of 1088
. The manor of Totnes was then granted to Roger de Nonant, whose descendants appear to have held the manor for the next three generations. Following this it came into the possession of William de Braose
, who is probably responsible for constructing the first stone
shell keep
and walls on the site.
By 1326, the castle had fallen into ruin and was under the control the de la Zouch family.
During this period a royal order was made for the repair of the fortifications. As a result of the order, the castle was refortified with a new shell keep a stable constructed and a constable
appointed, using Devonian
limestone
and red sandstone
for the construction. However, following the Wars of the Roses
it once again fell into disrepair. The castle was occupied for a period during the English Civil War
but saw no notable action.
. The castle is a scheduled monument and a Grade I* listed building.
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
motte and bailey castle in 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...
. It is situated in the town of Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
on the River Dart
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
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...
. The surviving stone keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
and curtain wall
Curtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
date from around the 14th century.
History
The castle occupies a commanding position atop a large hill above the town, and guards the approach to three valleys.The first castle on this site is believed to have been built by the Breton Juhel of Totnes
Juhel of Totnes
Juhel of Totnes was a Breton nobleman and supporter of William I of England of the eleventh century.-Life:He was in 1069 one of the leaders of Breton forces on the Norman side, fighting against the remaining forces that had been loyal to Harold II of England He was Lord of Totnes, and holder of...
(also known as Judhael) who was one of William the Conqueror's lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
s. The manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Totnes was granted to him in 1068, and in order to cement his control over the area he constructed a fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
and founded a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
within the town. However, this first construction probably consisted of a wooden palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
and tower. On the death of William I, Juhel lost his lands, possibly as a result of his support for the Rebellion of 1088
Rebellion of 1088
The Rebellion of 1088 occurred after the death of William the Conqueror and concerned the division of lands in the Kingdom of England and the Duchy of Normandy between his two sons William Rufus and Robert Curthose...
. The manor of Totnes was then granted to Roger de Nonant, whose descendants appear to have held the manor for the next three generations. Following this it came into the possession of William de Braose
William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber was a 12th-century Marcher lord who secured a foundation for the dominant position later held by the Braose family in the Welsh Marches. In addition to the family's English holdings in Sussex and Devon, William had inherited Radnor and Builth, in Wales, from...
, who is probably responsible for constructing the first stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
shell keep
Shell keep
A shell keep is a style of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure circling the top of a motte.In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall...
and walls on the site.
By 1326, the castle had fallen into ruin and was under the control the de la Zouch family.
During this period a royal order was made for the repair of the fortifications. As a result of the order, the castle was refortified with a new shell keep a stable constructed and a constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
appointed, using Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and red sandstone
Red sandstone
Red sandstone may refer to:*Sandstone appearing red due to the inclusion of iron oxides *Old Red Sandstone*New Red Sandstone*Ardjachie Stone*Aizkorri , Basque Mountains massif...
for the construction. However, following the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
it once again fell into disrepair. The castle was occupied for a period 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...
but saw no notable action.
Today
Since 1984, the castle has been under the stewardship of English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
. The castle is a scheduled monument and a Grade I* listed building.
See also
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- List of castles in England
- Grade I listed buildings in Devon
- Totnes GuildhallTotnes GuildhallTotnes Guildhall is a 16th century Tudor historic guildhall, magistrate's court, and prison, in the town of Totnes, south Devon, in southwest England.- History :...
- Totnes MuseumTotnes MuseumTotnes Museum is a local museum in the town of Totnes, south Devon, in southwest England.The museum is housed with an Elizabethan merchant's house that was built c.1575 for the Kelland family. The house has many original features and has been carefully restored.Totnes Museum has twelve galleries,...