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FENNY CASTLE

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

FENNEY CASTLE

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A motte and bailey castle set on a small natural hill. The north-west end of the hill has been scarped into a steep-sided conical to form a motte, while the south-east end has been levelled to create a narrow bailey. Motte and bailey castles are said to be characteristic of the 11th to 13th centuries: it has been suggested that Fenny Castle may have its origins in the Anarchy or first English civil war between Stephen and Matilda (1138-53), associated with the de Tilly family. The first secure reference to the existence of the castle was in 1327, with the owner being a William atte Castle. It was then described as ruinous by William Worcestre in 1480, who noted the remains of the ground plan in the foundations. Digging in the castle unearthed a wall which defended the summit, as well as iron rings, an iron implement and pottery. It was recorded in the 19th century that part of the slope at the north-west end of the hill was removed to enable easier access around it. In the process the remains of 20 skeletons were removed; they were dated to an unspecified period before the construction of the castle. There is a local tradition that the mound was associated with King Alfred.

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[ST 508435] FENNY CASTLE HILL [TI] CASTLE MOUND [GT]. (1)

The mounds - the southern of which (80 yds x 40 yds) is known as Fenny Castle - are natural in origin but the sides may have been artificially scarped. The smaller mound (to the NW) is approximately circular, of 30 yds diameter.

Skinner reports that in 1825, a farmer, while removing part of the mound found over 20 skeletons at the depth of 16-18 ft. "Fenney Castle" was also noted "as a castle on a hill" by Leland. Phelps supports this statement, and adds that the castle was built on a natural mound. The ruins were considerable at the time of William of Worcester and vestiges of the foundations were still visible to Phelps. (2-5)

The enormous defensive potential of this site - an isolated hill surrounded by formerly marshy levels - appears to have been adapted to a form of motte and bailey. The 'motte' is at least partially artificial, while the 'bailey' to the south-east has been contrived by scarping the sides of the natural hill. The summit of the 'motte' is level and featureless, but scarps and irregularities on the top of the 'bailey' may indicate the sites of buildings. See GPs AO/66/91/7 & 8 and AO/66/103/1. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (6)

ST 508436: Fenny Castle, scheduled. Located on a small natural hill in a flat landscape of former marshland. The hill is an elongated ridge running NW-SE, 11m high on the NW side, 8m high on the SE side, and 20m across. The levelled area of the bailey is 70 x 20m.

Motte and bailey castles are characterised as typically monuments of the 11th to 13th century. The first secure documentary evidence is the ownership and residence of one William atte Castle in 1327, with a later reference to a Alice atte Castle. William Worcestre called "Fenney Castle" a ruin, noting that the ground plan of the foundations were still visible, in 1480. The farmer who found the skeletons (thought to date from a period before the existence of the motte and bailey) in 1825 also uncovered some foundations. There is also a local tradition that the mound is associated with King Alfred. (7)

Suggestion that the castle may be associated with the de Tilly family, originally of Normandy; the family divided their holdings in Normandy and England in 1200, among their holdings being the manor of Wookey Hole and Melsbury, including the hill on which Fenny Castle was built. It is pointed out that William, son of John of Harptree, owed knight's service in Somerset, where Henry de Tilly paid scutage.

The estate of Wookey Hole and Melsbury was later donated to Wells Old Almshouses, who continued in ownership until the 19th century.

Suggestion that the context for the construction of the motte and bailey may have been the Anarchy, or English civil war between Stephen and Matilda, 1138 - 1156. Wiliam, son of John of Harptree defended Richmont Castle at East Harptree, 1138. It is suggested that the strongest support for Matilda was in the west country, including Bristol, Gloucester, Castle Cary, Dunster and Richmont; making use of Fenny in the Matildan cause would therefore seem a probable conjecture, although Fenny is not mentioned in the Gesta Stephani.

Description of the mound geology: natural formation of Mercia Mudstone with some overlying oolite.

The bones found in the 19th century were initially thought to be "British", i.e. "pre-Roman". (10)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

6" (Provisional) 1961

(2) edited by William Page 1906 The Victoria history of the county of Somerset: volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)529

(3) Externally held archive reference

Mss 33682, 1825 (Skinner)

(4) General reference

Itinerary of Somerset II 1540-2 (Leland)

( 5) General reference

History of Somerset II 1839, Phelps (Laroch) Page(s)172

(6) Field Investigators Comments

F1GHP 15-Jul-1966

(7) Scheduled Monument Notification

English Heritage SAM List Somerset 1987

(8) Scheduled Monument Notification

English Heritage Schedule Entry 31/01/1997

(10) History Round Wells

Brian Luker: "Another Look at Fenny Castle", Issue 5, 2002

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