Totnes Castle

Totnes Castle
Totnes Castle
Devon, England
	Keep of Totnes Castle
	Totnes Castle
Coordinates	50°25′56″N3°41′28″W / 50.4321°N 3.6910°W
Grid reference	grid reference SX800605
Type	Shell keep on motte-and-bailey
Site information
Owner	English Heritage
Open to; the public	Yes
Site history
Materials	Devonian limestone and red sandstone

Last updated September 11, 2024

Totnes Castle is one of the best preserved examples of a Norman motte and bailey castle in England.^[1] 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. From after the Norman Conquest of 1066 it was the caput of the Feudal barony of Totnes.

History

The castle occupies a commanding position atop a large hill above the town, and guards the approach to three valleys.^[2]

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 lieutenants.^[3] The feudal barony of Totnes^[4] was granted to him in 1068, and in order to cement his control over the area he constructed a fortification and founded Totnes Priory within the town.^[3] This first construction probably consisted of a wooden palisade and tower. On the death of King William I, Juhel lost his lands, possibly as a result of his support for the Rebellion of 1088. The feudal barony of Totnes was then granted to Roger de Nonant, whose descendants appear to have held it for the next three generations. Following this it came into the possession of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber, who is probably responsible for constructing the first stone shell keep and walls on the site.^[3]

By 1326, the castle had fallen into ruin and was under the control the de la Zouch family.^[3] During this period a royal order was made for the repair of the fortifications. As a result, the castle was re-fortified with a new shell keep, using Devonian limestone and red sandstone, a stable was constructed and a constable appointed.^[3] Following the Wars of the Roses it once again fell into disrepair. The castle was occupied for a period during the Civil War but saw no notable action.

Occupants of the Castle

Totnes Castle has a rich history spanning several centuries. It all began in 1067 when Juhel, a Norman Knight, constructed and inhabited the castle, marking its humble beginnings. Sixteen years later, in 1083, Roger de Nonant seized control of the castle. The year 1205 saw William de Braose, the 3rd Lord of Bramber and a descendant of Juhel, reclaim the castle, although it is unlikely that he resided there. Instead, it was his son, Reginald de Braose, who likely erected the first stone castle on the site. Subsequently, in 1326, the de la Zouch clan assumed ownership of the castle and undertook extensive rebuilding, transforming its structure. Fast forward to 1485, when Sir Richard Edgecomb became the new owner of Totnes Castle. Finally, in 1764, Edward Seymour, the 9th Duke of Somerset, and his family took up residence at the castle. During their tenure, they introduced leisure facilities like a tennis court and a delightful tea room, further enhancing the castle's allure.^[5]

Visiting the Castle

Visiting Totnes Castle is a delightful experience, although parking can be a bit tricky. There is no designated car park, but visitors can use the Limited Pay and Display parking located 64 metres away from the site. It is easy to find by following Station Road, turning south onto Castle Street, and then left onto North Street. English Heritage encourages visitors to book their time slot online to secure a pre-booking discount, as prices may be higher at the on-site ticket office. Membership cardholders of the English Heritage Society enjoy free entry. The castle offers exceptional views, a grassed picnic area, and the opportunity to explore the castle keep and its surrounding area. However, it's important to note that the motte and keep are not wheelchair accessible due to steep slopes and uneven stone steps.^[5]

Preservation

Since 1984 the castle has been under the stewardship of English Heritage.^[6] The castle is a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building.^[3]

Related Research Articles

William de Braose, First Lord of Bramber was previously lord of Briouze, Normandy. He was granted lands in England by William the Conqueror soon after he and his followers had invaded and controlled Saxon England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber</span> 12th-century Marcher Lord (1112–1192)

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 his father Philip. By his marriage he increased the Braose Welsh holdings to include Brecon and Abergavenny.

William de Braose,, 4th Lord of Bramber, court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont and White Castle.

Dudley Castle is a ruined fortification in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Originally a wooden motte and bailey castle built soon after the Norman Conquest, it was rebuilt as a stone fortification during the twelfth century but subsequently demolished on the orders of Henry II of England. Rebuilding of the castle took place from the second half of the thirteenth century and culminated in the construction of a range of buildings within the fortifications by John Dudley. The fortifications were slighted by order of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War and the residential buildings destroyed by fire in 1750. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century the site was used for fêtes and pageants. Today Dudley Zoo is located on its grounds.

Bramber is a former manor, village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It has a ruined mediaeval castle which was the caput of a large feudal barony. Bramber is located on the northern edge of the South Downs and on the west side of the River Adur. Nearby are the communities of Steyning to the west and Upper Beeding to the east, and the other side of the river. The closest historical connection, however, is with the village of Botolphs to the south.

Bramber Castle is a Norman motte-and-bailey castle, formerly the caput of the large feudal barony of Bramber long held by the Braose family. It is situated in the village of Bramber, West Sussex, near the town of Steyning, overlooking the River Adur. The building is served by Brighton & Hove bus routes 2 and 60.

Christchurch Castle is a Norman motte and bailey castle in Christchurch, Dorset, England. The earliest stonework has been dated to 1160. The castle's site is inside the old Saxon burh dominating the River Avon's lowest crossing.

Abergavenny Castle is a ruined castle in the market town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales, established by the Norman lord Hamelin de Balun c. 1087. It was the site of a massacre of Welsh noblemen in 1175, and was attacked during the early 15th-century Glyndŵr Rising. William Camden, the 16th-century antiquary, said that the castle "has been oftner stain'd with the infamy of treachery, than any other castle in Wales."

Bampton Castle in the parish of Bampton, Devon was the seat of the feudal barony of Bampton. It is located on a spur that overlooks the River Batherm.

Barnstaple Castle stood near what is now the centre of the town of Barnstaple, Devon. When it was built, it was on the western side of the fortified town and commanded a good view of both the town and its important river crossings. The castle was built on top of an early medieval cemetery.

The medieval Knepp Castle is to the west of the village of West Grinstead, West Sussex, England near the River Adur and the A24.

Juhel de Totnes, Latinised to Judhellus filius Aluredi, "Juhel son of Alured") was a soldier and supporter of William the Conqueror (1066–1087). He was the first feudal baron of Totnes and feudal baron of Barnstaple, both in Devon.

Philip de Braose, 2nd Lord of Bramber was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and Marcher Lord.

A shell keep is a style of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure circling the top of a motte.

Harberton is a village, civil parish and former manor 3 miles south west of Totnes, in the South Hams District of Devon, England. The parish includes the village of Harbertonford situated on the main A381 road. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,285. The village is a major part of the electoral ward of Avon and Harbourne. At the 2011 census the ward population was 2,217.

The House of Braose was a prominent family of Anglo-Norman nobles originating in Briouze, near Argentan, Orne, Normandy. Members of this family played a significant part in the Norman conquest of England and subsequent power struggles in England, Wales and Ireland in the 11th to 14th centuries.

From AD 1066, the feudal barony of Barnstaple was a large feudal barony with its caput at the town of Barnstaple in north Devon, England. It was one of eight feudal baronies in Devonshire which existed in the Middle Ages. In 1236 it comprised 56 knight's fees or individual member manors. The feudal service owed for half the barony in 1274 was the provision to the royal army of two knights or four sergeants for forty days per annum, later commuted to scutage.

The historic manor of Tawstock was situated in North Devon, in the hundred of Fremington, 2 miles south of Barnstaple, England. According to Pole the feudal baron of Barnstaple Henry de Tracy made Tawstock his seat, apparently having abandoned Barnstaple Castle as the chief residence of the barony. Many of the historic lords of the manor are commemorated by monuments in St Peter's Church, the parish church of Tawstock which in the opinion of Pevsner contains "the best collection in the county apart from those in the cathedral", and in the opinion of Hoskins "contains the finest collection of monuments in Devon and one of the most notable in England".

William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche (1276/86–1352), lord of the manor of Harringworth in Northamptonshire, was an English baron and soldier who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is referred to in history as "of Harringworth" to distinguish him from his first cousin Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche (1267–1314) of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire.

The feudal barony of Totnes was a large feudal barony with its caput at Totnes Castle in Devon, England. It was one of eight feudal baronies in Devonshire which existed in the mediaeval era. The first feudal baron was Juhel de Totnes, who is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as possessing 107 manors or other landholdings in Devon.

References

↑ Totnes Castle Archived 2010-04-27 at the Wayback Machine , CastleXplorer Archived 2002-11-22 at the Wayback Machine , UK.
↑ Totnes Castle, Devon Archived 2010-07-01 at the Wayback Machine , The Heritage Trail, UK.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Totnes Castle , Gatehouse website, accessed 28 April 2011.
↑ Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960, p.89
1 2 "Totnes Castle | Get Tickets, Visitor Info | Castles History". Castles, Forts, Chateaus. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
↑ Totnes Castle, English Heritage, UK.

External links

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[1] Totnes Castle Archived 2010-04-27 at the Wayback Machine , CastleXplorer Archived 2002-11-22 at the Wayback Machine , UK.

[2] Totnes Castle, Devon Archived 2010-07-01 at the Wayback Machine , The Heritage Trail, UK.

[Gatehouse-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Totnes Castle , Gatehouse website, accessed 28 April 2011.

[4] Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960, p.89

[:0-5] 1 2 "Totnes Castle | Get Tickets, Visitor Info | Castles History". Castles, Forts, Chateaus. Retrieved 15 May 2023.

[6] Totnes Castle, English Heritage, UK.

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