Down End Castle
Encyclopedia
Down End Castle, also known as Downend Castle, Chisley Mount or Chidley Mount, was a motte-and-bailey
castle
at Down End, north of Dunball
in the parish of Puriton
, Somerset
, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
.
site. The castle was once fed water by a natural spring
at the base of the motte.
Recent academic work has suggested that the castle was built around 1100, after the surrounding region of Somerset had become stable in the years following the Norman invasion of England and the subsequent Anglo-Saxon rebellion against Norman rule. The location Down End was strategically well placed, as the nearby Parrett
is an important tidal river, essential for trade during the early medieval period. The de Columbers were probably responsible for building the castle, which also enjoyed a good defensive position on a natural ridge, protected by several nearby streams; the family also built nearby Stowey Castle
. Norman and later pottery and iron objects were found during excavations in 1908; these match those found at the nearby castle of Neroche
, also built around 1100.
Down End became a new borough town in 1225, but may have existed as a settlement and port from 1159 onwards; the de Columbers were lords of the manor of nearby Puriton in the late 12th century. After the creation of Bridgwater
town and castle
, however, Down End began to face fierce competition as a port: Bridgwater eventually became dominant and Down End went into decline. Today only the earthworks remain, and the site is a scheduled monument.
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle
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...
at Down End, north of Dunball
Dunball
Dunball is a small hamlet west of the village of Puriton and close to the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, England.Just north of Dunball is Down End which is the site of Down End Castle a motte-and-bailey castle, which has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.Located on the A38, adjacent to...
in the parish of Puriton
Puriton
Puriton is a village and a parish, at the westerly end of the Polden Hills, in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, UK. The parish has a population of 2,124. The local parish church is named after St Michael...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
.
History
Down End Castle was built at Down End, north of Dunball in Somerset, England. The castle has a motte and bailey design, with the two baileys lying to the north of the motte; the inner bailey has one bank and the outer one a double bank. The mound measures 30 metres (98.4 ft) across the top, and may have exploited an existing VikingViking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
site. The castle was once fed water by a natural spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
at the base of the motte.
Recent academic work has suggested that the castle was built around 1100, after the surrounding region of Somerset had become stable in the years following the Norman invasion of England and the subsequent Anglo-Saxon rebellion against Norman rule. The location Down End was strategically well placed, as the nearby Parrett
River Parrett
The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset...
is an important tidal river, essential for trade during the early medieval period. The de Columbers were probably responsible for building the castle, which also enjoyed a good defensive position on a natural ridge, protected by several nearby streams; the family also built nearby Stowey Castle
Stowey Castle
Stowey Castle was a Norman motte-and-bailey castle, built in the 11th century, in the village of Nether Stowey on the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument....
. Norman and later pottery and iron objects were found during excavations in 1908; these match those found at the nearby castle of Neroche
Castle Neroche
Castle Neroche is a Norman motte-and-bailey castle on the site of an earlier hill fort in the parish of Curland, near Staple Fitzpaine, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.-Location:...
, also built around 1100.
Down End became a new borough town in 1225, but may have existed as a settlement and port from 1159 onwards; the de Columbers were lords of the manor of nearby Puriton in the late 12th century. After the creation of Bridgwater
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
town and castle
Bridgwater Castle
Bridgwater Castle was a castle in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, England.-Early history:The castle was built in 1202 by William Brewer, like several other castle-builders of the period, an exceptionally wealthy man. He was granted the lordship of the Manor of Bridgwater by King John in 1201, and...
, however, Down End began to face fierce competition as a port: Bridgwater eventually became dominant and Down End went into decline. Today only the earthworks remain, and the site is a scheduled monument.