| Fenny Castle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Wookey, Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°11′22″N2°42′19″W / 51.18944°N 2.70528°W |
| Built | c. 1140 |
| Official name | Fenny Castle |
| Reference no. | 197243 [1] |
  Location of Fenny Castle in Somerset | |
Fenny Castle is the remains of a motte and bailey castle in the parish of Wookey, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, [1] but not accessible to the public. [2]
It is sited on a natural hillock of Lias approximately 20 metres (66 ft) above the surrounding flat land on the edge of the Somerset Levels. [3] Such sites were typically chosen for castles in low-lying areas. [4]
The original builder of the castle is unknown, but it may be associated with the Anarchy, 1135–1153, a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen which was marked by a succession crisis between the supporters of Stephen and those of his cousin, the Empress Matilda. In 1327 the owner was William atte Castle. [1] By 1480 it was described as a ruin by William Worcester who saw the plan of "all the houses and offices there". [5] During the 19th century the quarrymen found twenty skeletons which were reported as dating from an unspecified period before the construction of the castle. [1]
The castle gave its name to a hamlet of the parish of Wookey named 'Castle', one mile south-west of the main village. A stone cross in the hamlet, marking its importance, was still to be seen in 1839. [6]
Little remains of the stonework, and there is evidence of extensive quarrying. The mound is now covered in grass and scrub with a few trees. [3] However, the site was described in The Archaeology of Somerset (1982) as still having "interesting and prominent earthworks". [7]