CAISTER CASTLE

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

Caister Castle was built for Sir John Fastolf from 1432 to circa 1446. It was a brick building rectangular in plan, with angle towers. There are three gunports in the north-west tower and several gunports in the curtain wall. The principal remains of the castle are the north-western angle tower of the main building and the north and west adjoining curtain walls. The surrounding moat has been partially filled in. The internal building remains of the main castle block have been determined by the sinking of trail holes by Mr Hamblen-Thomas. The north east outwork of the castle is thought to be older than the main block. It is the only English example of a `Wasserburg', a water-ringed castle common in the Rhineland and Flanders, and it was one of the first major brick built buildings in England.

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

(TG 50481229) Castle (NR) (remains of) (NAT) (1)

Caister Castle was built for Sir John Fastolf from 1432 to circa 1446. It was a brick building rectangular in plan, with angle towers. The principal remains of the castle are the north-western angle tower of the main building and the north and west adjoining curtain walls. The surrounding moat has been partially filled in. The internal building remains of the main castle block have been determined by the sinking of trail holes by Mr Hamblen-Thomas. The north east outwork of the castle is thought to be older than the main block.
See plans. (2,3)

Large brick castle with square inner ward with two outer platforms and wet moats. Main ward had one very lofty round tower, and flanking square and round towers. There is another large round tower on one outwork which contained a watergate. Begun in 1432, it was taken in a private war in 1469 when the Duke of Norfolk took it from the Pastons. (4)

There are three gunports in the north-west tower and several gunports in the curtain wall. (5)

It is the only English example of a `Wasserburg', a water-ringed castle common in the Rhineland and Flanders, and it was one of the first major brick built buildings in England. The castle is built on a large maoted platform divided by a cross-moat, surrounded by a curtain wall. A slim tower rises from the South-West corner, a feature unique in England. An inventory of 1470 shows that it had an unusual amount of artillery, 20 pieces. The loops in the curtain wall are for handguns while those of the tower mounted heavier ordnance. The castle endured a 6-week siege in 1469 before being taken by the Duke of Norfolk with a force of 3000 men and many guns. (60

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:10000 1970

( 2) The Antiquaries journal : journal of the Society of Antiquaries of London

H D Barnes & W Douglas Simpson 32, 1952 Page(s)35-51

( 3) The buildings of England

North-East Norfolk and Norwich 1962 Page(s)109

(4) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

Page(s)306

(5) Fortress Study Group Fort : the international journal of fortification and military architecture

4, AUTUMN 1977 Page(s)76

(6) Peter Kent 1988 Fortifications of East Anglia

Page(s)175

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
NMR
ViewFinder