Ballands Castle was a castle near the village of Penselwood, Somerset, England.
| Ballands Castle | |
|---|---|
| Penselwood, Somerset | |
  Ballands Castle | |
| Coordinates | 51°04′40″N 2°21′14″W / 51.0778°N 2.3540°W |
| Grid reference | grid reference ST753310 |
| Type | Motte and bailey |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Earthworks remain |
History
editBalland Castle was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, near the village of Penselwood in Somerset.[1] The castle sits close to the contemporary Norman castles of Cockroad Wood and Castle Orchard, and may have been built as part of a system of fortifications to control the surrounding area.[1]
The motte of the castle is now around 5 m high, and up to 9 m wide.[2] The bailey lies to the south, and both the motte and the bailey are surrounded by ditches.[3]
Today the castle site is a scheduled monument.
See also
editBibliography
edit- Creighton, Oliver Hamilton. (2005) Castles and Landscapes: Power, Community and Fortification in Medieval England. London: Equinox. ISBN 978-1-904768-67-8.
References
edit- ^ a b Creighton, p.62.
- ^ Balland's Castle, Penselwood, Somerset County Historic Environmental Record, accessed 18 July 2011.
- ^ Creighton, p.62; Balland's Castle, Penselwood, Somerset County Historic Environmental Record, accessed 18 July 2011.