Castles in Somerset

The West Country is a beautiful part of the UK and whilst the more popular areas of Cornwall and Devon are well known, Somerset seems to fade into the drag of the M5 south of Bristol before the ‘A-roads’ begin.

This small county is nestled between Bristol and Exeter extending south to the border with Dorset and east towards Wiltshire and is a combination of highs and lows. The flat and expansive Somerset Levels, drained in the 17th century by the monks at Glastonbury Abbey are surrounded by the high hills of Exmoor National Park, the Blackdown Hills on the Somerset/Devon border and the Mendip Hills that run from the Bristol Channel inland towards Wells with its fortified Bishop’s Palace.

Somerset was prime farming land and in the Iron Age, this prized commodity needed defending. Iron Age hillforts started to be built and some of the best examples can be seen in Somerset including the coastal fort at Worlebury and the extensive ramparts at Hamdon Hill.

While these ancient forts are now blended into the landscape their existence can be seen in place names. Fenny Castle near Wells was once a motte and bailey castle. Today beyond the unusual village name, the 20-metre-high hill that rises from the surrounding Somerset Levels is all that remains of the fortification that was once here. Other castles such as Bridgwater Castle are buried beneath the sprawl of development, the only reminder of their presence is in the street names that attempt to recognise the influence of the past on the town.

Castles in Somerset to visit

BEST Castles in Somerset

All of the Somerset castles are worth a visit, but the places in this list enable you to get close and explore. Best might be a strong decision but they are certainly some of our favourite Somerset castles to visit. Some of the castles on the map are now private property or are just earthworks telling the story of what was there once upon a time. Interesting for a walk, but not a real day of exploring.

Bishop’s Palace, Wells

As you walk through the Bishop’s Eye, the large ornate archway from the Market Place in the centre of Wells a calm falls on the air. Tall spruce trees fill the space between Wells Cathedral and the moat of the Bishop’s Palace. This is home to swans who in the past would ring the bell for feeding. If you are lucky you will see the resident kingfishers fishing along the palace walls in the moat.

The gatehouse with its portcullis is entered over a small drawbridge and from here the palace comes into view. The Bishop’s Palace in Wells was built in the 13^th century for Bishop Jocelin Trotman who was the first Bishop of Bath and Wells and Bishops have used the palace for over 800 years. It is a mix of buildings as various towers, gates and halls were added through the centuries by different Bishops.

If you pay to enter the grounds you will be able to explore the Bishop’s private chapel and some of the ornate rooms. The walled gardens cover a large area and include the springs where the city name originates, kitchen gardens and flower gardens. Within the gardens are the ruins of the Great Hall and the whole area is surrounded by the crenellated ramparts. It is possible to walk some of the walls with views out across the moat and the fields that were once part of the large deer park.

Location: Wells, Somerset, BA5 2PD
Style: Medieval Fortified Palace
Founded: 1210
Access: The moat is accessible all the time. It is possible to pass through the gatehouse when the palace is open but beyond the green requires an entry fee
Find out More: Website for the Palace

Nunney Castle

In the small village of Nunney, deep in the rolling hills of south Somerset is a stronghold built by John de la Mare under a royal licence issued in 1373. It rises above the small cottages of the village that have been built around it over the centuries. The Nunney Brook that runs through the centre of the village forms a boundary of the castle that would have been surrounded on the remaining three sides by walls.

John de la Mare was a knight who built the castle as his status in the area increased. He used money raised during the Hundred Years War to fund this project. Originally the castle had four corner towers and was surrounded by a moat. There would have been kitchens on the ground floor with a hall on the third floor and withdrawing rooms above with a chapel in one of the towers.

All the towers remain today but are not quite as well maintained as they would have been originally. In the 15^th Century, it was renovated by new owner Richard Prater, before being ruined by an order of Parliament during the Civil War. It was then abandoned until 1926 when it was taken into state guardianship and partially restored.

Location: Nunney, Nr Frome, BA11 4LW
Style: Medieval
Founded: 1373
Access: Accessible during daylight hours. No entry fees
Find out More: Website for the Nunney Castle

Farleigh Hungerford Castle

As the road winds down from the main A36 the castle is tucked below the road overlooking the meandering River Frome. The gatehouse still serves as a gatehouse and is the entrance to the castle and the parking area.

The castle was built in two stages. The first, the inner court was completed in 1383 by Sir Thomas Hungerford following an older quadrangular design on the site of an old manor house. A deep park was established which involved the destruction of a nearby village. Like John de la Mare at Nunney Castle, Sir Thomas’s son Sir Walter Hungerford became rich during the One Hundred Years War with France and extended the castle. This extension included an outer court that extended to the village church. This castle was large and ornate with murals on the chapel walls that can still be seen today.

The castle was used by both the Royalists and Parliament during the Civil War, but unlike other places survived fairly intact. It fell into disrepair during the 18^th century, but by the late 1700’s its ruined state became a visitor attraction with a small museum. It wasn’t until 1915 that an extensive renovation programme was started on the ruins of the castle.

Location: Farleigh Hungerford, Nr Trowbridge, BA2 7RS
Style: Medieval Fortified Mansion
Founded: 1383
Access: Cared for by English Heritage with an entry fee
Find out More: Website for the Nunney Castle

Brean Down Fort

While Brean Down Fort isn’t a castle in the sense of knights and royalty, it is however a significant part of the heritage of Somerset. Situated at the far end of Brean Down, a headland that extends out into the Bristol Channel north of Burnham on Sea this Napoleonic fort provided the front line of defence. The whole headland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its natural history and a scheduled ancient monument.

This headland has been of importance since the Stone Age with ancient field systems still being visible. The remains of an Iron Age fort are built into the headland where ditches and banks remain. On the headland are the ruins of Brean Down Fort, a Palmerston Fort built to defend the nation against a possible Napoleonic invasion. Whilst the fort in is ruins many of the structures remain and it is possible to get a feel for the way it would have been.

During the Second World War the fort was brought back into use and whilst being used mainly for training the machine gun platforms can still be seen above the churning muddy waters of the Bristol Channel.

Location: Brean, TA8 2RS
Style: Palmerston Fort
Founded: Current buildings built in 1860’s
Access: Paid car park owned by National Trust. Fort is reached by a walk up from Brean Sands which is steep in places. The fort can be explored at any time. The closed buildings are open during summer weekends.
Find out More: Website for Brean Down Fort

Taunton Castle

Behind the bustle of the main shopping street in Taunton is the beautiful Taunton Castle. Every day shoppers walk through the gatehouse with its portcullis without a second thought and even some visiting the Museum of Somerset which is located in the castle buildings do not realise the story of this castle.

Originally established in the Anglo-Saxon period, the current castle was developed in 1129 by William Giffard the Chancellor of King Henry I. The area belonged to the Bishop of Winchester who had a priory on the site. However, William Giffard converted the bishop’s hall into a castle. By the 12th century, the keep had been built with a Great Hall and stone undercroft. This was added to over time with the gate-house appearing somewhere between 1239 and 1307 and being updated in 1496.

By the 1600’s the castle was in ruins but it was repaired during the Civil War and became the only Parliamentary enclave in the South West. In 1685 Judge Jeffries held the Bloody Assizes where those who rebelled against the king met their fate.

The great hall and inner ward are now the Museum of Somerset which tells the story of Somerset and the castle.

Location: Castle Lodge, Taunton, TA1 4AA
Style: Norman Motte and Bailey
Founded: 1129
Access: The castle can be seen from the outside at any time. The Museum is free to enter during opening hours
Find out More: Website for Museum of Somerset

Dunster Castle

Dunster Castle near Minehead sits on a hill on the outskirts of the small village on the edge of Exmoor National Park. The red stone is warm against the surrounding trees, especially in autumn when the leaves are turning.

A castle has been on this hillside since Norman times although there may have been a fort here during the Anglo-Saxon era. In the 11^th century, William de Mohun constructed a timber castle on the hill close to the village and this had a stone keep built on the motte shortly afterwards.

At the end of the 14^th century, the castle was sold to the Luttrell family who have owned it for over 600 years. During their time of ownership, they have extended it although the siege of Dunster at the end of the Civil War did destroy some of the earlier castle walls. In the 1860s and 1870s, the castle was redesigned to fit the Gothic tastes of the Victorian owners.

Location: Dunster, Minehead, TA24 6RL
Style: Norman with Medieval and Victorian Gothic and Picturesque Additions
Founded: Unknown
Access: The castle can be seen from the outside at any time. It is managed by the National Trust
Find out More: Website for Dunster Castle

Map of Somerset Hill Forts and Castles

This map shows the Somerset castles that are still recognisable as castles as well as old hill forts that can be walked. Locations that cannot be seen or have vanished from the landscape have been left off the map.