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Castles in Somerset "KLMNO"
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| A very early castle built on a site obtained by the holder, Robert de
Mortain, by exchanging land with Athelney Abbey in 1069-70. The castle
was later given to the priory of Cluniac monks nearby, in c.1104, by
Robert's son, and the stonework that had probably been added in the
first years of the century was used for building works by the monks.
Montacute was a motte castle whose motte was surrounded by a ditch and
which stood inside a bailey that was also encircled by ditching. |
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| An early motte castle with two baileys, Nether Stowey was given a
substantial rectangular great tower, about 60ft by 50ft, on the motte
top which was itself several times larger in area. The great tower has a
southern forebuilding and a cross-wall. The date of the tower is
probably mid-twelfth century. The castle eventually came into the
ownership of the Audley family. There are a few ruins on Castle Hill. |
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The most immediately dramatic feature of Nunney is the huge, gaping
hole in the north wall of this high, compact, rectangular tower building
with huge corner cylindrical towers. This wall was smashed through by
cannon of Oliver Cromwell at first-floor level above the entrance in
1645. The castle was surrendered two days after Cromwell's assault and
in due course some of the inside was stripped. The siege took place
three months after the Battle of Naseby which virtually extinguished
Royalist hopes. Although the walls were breiged it would have been
possible for its defenders to hold up for some time in the much stronger
corner towers, even though the defending garrison only consisted of one
captain, eight Irishmen and some refugees.
The outworks covered a larger area than they do today, but the
pre-gunfire design was not adequate for a close bombardment. Nunney
tower has been described as distinctly French. Certainly there is very
little like it in the UK. The towers were the same height as the two
walls (north and south) - on the east and west side, the towers are
coupled together - and the parapet at the top was machicolated all
round. Each tower carried on top a smaller diameter cylinder turret. The
diameter of the towers was about 27ft, and the height from the straight
plinth below to the parapet was 54ft. The tower walls are 5-6ft thick.
The lower part of each tower was lit by narrow loops only, as built in
the 1370's (the licence to crenellate was granted to Sir John de la Mere
in 1373), but some of these were enlarged in the sixteenth century to
let in more light. The tower had four storeys, and was entered through a
very narrow door. The great hall was on the second floor. |
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