Culverhay Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Culverhay Castle |
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| Englishcombe, Somerset | |
Earthworks of Culverhay Castle
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 Culverhay Castle
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| Coordinates | 51°21′59″N 2°24′18″W / 51.3663°N 2.4050°W |
| Type | Ringwork |
Culverhay Castle, also known as Englishcombe Castle, was a historic castle located in the small village of Englishcombe, in Somerset, England. It was an important site many centuries ago.
What Was Culverhay Castle?
Culverhay Castle was built as a type of early castle called a ringwork. A ringwork is like a strong, circular fort. It usually has a large ditch and a raised bank of earth. This design helped protect the people inside.
The castle was located in the village of Englishcombe. Its main defensive features, the ditch and bank, were about 5 feet (1.5 m) deep. These parts were found to the east of the village church.
How Was It Built?
The original castle was likely built sometime between the late 11th century and the early 13th century. This means it could be over 800 years old!
Later, in the early 1200s, more stone parts were added. Builders constructed a round stone keep. A keep is the main tower or strongest part of a castle. They also added a low curtain wall. This wall would have surrounded the castle, providing extra protection. There were also one or two other stone buildings inside the ringwork.
It is thought that a medieval deer park might have been connected to the castle. A deer park was a large area of land where deer were kept for hunting.
Discovering the Castle Today
The site of Culverhay Castle was explored by an archaeologist named Nigel Pounds. He carried out excavations in 1938. This helped us learn more about how the castle was built and used.
Today, Culverhay Castle is known as a scheduled monument. This means it is a nationally important historical site. It is protected by law to make sure it is preserved for the future.
