Castle Neroche

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Staple Fitzpaine

In the civil parish of Curland.
In the historic county of Somerset (Modern Authority of Somerset, 1974 county of Somerset).

Earthwork remains of a Medieval motte and bailey overlying the possible earthworks of an Iron Age hillfort. Excavations in C19 and 1903 discovered Iron Age artefacts. Excavations between 1961 and 1964 revealed three phases. Firstly an undated rampart was built enclosing 7.5 acres. In the second period a small enclosure was built within the earlier defences. Imported French pottery was found. In the third period the site was converted into a motte and bailey. The castle appears to have passed out of permanent use by the early C12, but was refurbished for a brief period during the mid C12.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST272158

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 190295

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 43844

• Web site links
  • http://accessibility.english-heritage.org.uk/default.asp?wci=Node&wce=8035
    http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=43844
• Books
  • Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p68-109
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern) p70
    Dunning, Robert, 1995, Somerset Castles (Somerset Books) p9[plan], 33-35
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p220
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p49, 60, 198, 200, 353
    Helen Clarke, 1984, The archaeology of medieval England p108, 122
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p442
    Pearce, Susan M., 1981, The archaeology of south west Britain p207, 208
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p263
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Pevsner, N., 1958, Buildings of England: S and W Somerset p252
    Sixsmith, 1958, Staple Fitz Paine and the Forest of Neroche p3-5
    Burrow, Edward J., 1924, Ancient Earthworks and Camps of Somerset (Cheltenham and London) p126
    Bothamley, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Somerset Vol2 p519-20
    Allcroft, A. Hadrian, 1908, Earthwork of England (London) p86-9
• Journal Articles
  • Davidson, B.K., 2002, 'Castle Neroche reconsidered' CBA South West Journal Vol8 p12-15
    Davidson, B.K., 1972, 'Castle Neroche: an abandoned Norman Fortress in south Somerset' Somerset Archaeology and Natural History Vol116 p16-58, plates i-iii
    1966, Château Gaillard Vol3 p43-5
    (Davison), 1965, Medieval Archaeology Vol9 p191
    (Davison), 1964, Medieval Archaeology Vol8 p258-9
    (Davison), 1962-3, Medieval Archaeology Vol6-7 p323
    Gray, H.St.G., 1903, 'Excavations at Castle Neroche June-July 1903' Somerset Archaeology and Natural History Vol49 p23-53
    Warre, F., 1854, 'Castle Neroche' Somerset Archaeology and Natural History Vol5 p29-48 [where supposed to be prehistoric]