Sherborne Old Castle, Dorset

As Chancellor to King Henry I, and the greatest landowner in the area, Roger de Caen (Bishop of Salisbury) had a grand, fortified palace built at Sherborne at the beginning of the 12th century. However, Sherborne Castle was quickly taken into Royal possession and remained so for the next 200 years or more. During this period only repairs, and some alteration to Sherborne Castle's defences, were undertaken, but the structure remained virtually untouched.

This substantial site is roughly rectangular, but with angled corners, and is surrounded by a moat and extensive earthwork defences. Much of the original curtain wall survives to a good height. Towers were placed at each corner of the wall, as well as a North Gate and Barbican halfway along the northern edge which provided Sherborne Castle's main entrance. Only the southwest gatehouse remains sufficiently to see original building details, such as the ashlar facing stone, first floor window and entrance arch, although some 16th century additions also exist.

Located within the curtain wall, a series of 12th century buildings forming the inner bailey now exist only at foundation level. Of the four main ranges, the north range has remained the most intact, and contains the chapel on the upper floor. Much of the other ranges have been reduced to just bare traces of their original structure, but a stairway giving access to the Keep can be made out in the west range. Buildings along the south range appear to have been demolished and remodelled during the 16th century, and evidence has recently been uncovered to suggest that a series of 14th century buildings once existed west of the Keep.

During the 16th century, Sherborne Castle was used to accommodate visiting Bishops, and it is reasonable to assume that some of the alterations and enhancements were made to Sherborne Castle for this purpose. Further improvements were undertaken at the end of the century when Sir Walter Raleigh took over the property. However, within a couple of years, he had built a new 'lodge' on the estate and chose to reside there in preference to the old Castle.

At the time of the Civil War, Sherborne 'old' Castle was owned by Lord Digby - a principal adviser to King Charles - and remained within the family until it was presented to the nation in 1956, although they too resided in the 'lodge'. Today, the crumbling walls of Sherborne 'old' Castle make a vivid contrast to the grand appearance of Sherborne 'new' Castle (the magnificent 'lodge' built originally for Sir Walter Raleigh), but both are equally appealing in their own right.