Stogursey Castle

Description

No mention of a castle in 1086 despite the village being in existence. Must have existed before 1216 and because of its type - a motte with two main baileys - it is likely to be of Norman foundation. Probably built in the late C11 or early C12. It was held for King John in 1215 and then ordered to be destroyed, the Prior of the priory being given the task. This was not carried out as there is a further order in 1228. This also seems to have been ignored as in the time of Henry III, Iawkes de Breaute held the castle through his wife, the daughter of Alice de Courcy. In the reign of Edward I the castle passed to the possession of Sir Robert Fitzpane who was a local landowner Finally burnt down by Lord Bouville in 1459 during the wars of the Roses and has laid in ruins since then. A print of 1733 by Buck shows substantial stone towers and walls remaining (Aston, n.d.) The site comprises a motte with a broad front top c60m across. Rises c2m from the surrounding ditch from which it is separated by a flat berm up to 15m wide. The stone curtain wall rises c6m from the top of the motte, substantial remaining portions being linked by modern garden walling. The curtain is of coursed limestone rubble. The embrasure for one arrowslit and the W jamb of a second survive on the S curtain wall and large openings, possibly for windows, survive on the N and NW (possible) hall range). A semi-circular bastion remains on the W. Holes indicate that buildings stood against the inside of the curtain walls. On the E side the remains of a twin segmental-towered gatehouse are overlain by an L-shaped stone building with a C17 mullioned window on the E side. The S wall and other parts seem to have been rebuilt in the C19. The motte ditch is still wet, fed by a leat from the stream The middle bailey is very uneven with two large depressions which may be building sites. A deeply incised farm track crosses the bailey from the NE corner. This could be the original access but a holloway crossing the outer bailey E to W, heading to the gate house, may indicate otherwise. The present track does not give access to this outer bailey (not examined in detail) Mill pool on N side of the middle bailey separated from the motte ditch by a stone wall with a gap. Dammed at the E end with L-shaped stone and brick wall from which a covered leat runs N. Overflow from pool runs E and S down the middle bailey ditch. A post medieval stable and hayloft lies on the W side of the outer bailey just NE of the dam. A roughly rectangular area bounded on the S by the Mill pool, on the E side by the leat and holloway, on the N by a hedge with a scarp down towards the N of c0.5m and on the W by a wide shallow ditch may be the north bailey referred to by the VCH, c50mx80m. Lias pantiled cattle shed with manger lies in SW corner of the castle area. Water system is confused and the view that the water for the motte ditch is fed from the SW needs confirmation (Burrow). Pevsner dates the castle to C13 or C14 (Pevsner). Inner bailey is notably higher than surrounding land, with steep drop to outer ditch, now mainly dry. Outer bailey at lower level, defined by bank and scarp with a stream at its foot. Outer bailey is divided by hollow way of which no sign in the higher inner bailey, and the latter may have been raised over it. Extent of outer bailey on N is unclear. It continues up to the mill as shown by the change in ground level, but has been clipped by the later road and track so that the bank no longer survives. It may have continued around to the N of the inner bailey, as suggested by a gully leading to a curved and scarped section of field boundary. The water from the moat system is fed from a leat leaving Stogursey Brook c.1km to the SE. The leat is 1-2m wide at the base, and up to 2m deep (Preece, 1993). Gatehouse repaired and renovated in 1981-2 by Landmark Trust. (Somerset HER)

The castle site is clearly a slightly raised ringwork with bailey rather than a motte. It should be noted the water level, in the moat, is lower than in the medieval period. A survey of the waterworks and the medieval coastline and river ways might produced a better understanding of this castle site and it was suggested at the recent (2010) Castle Studies Group site visit that there may be a small dock preserved in the castle.