BUCKENHAM CASTLE

Norfolk

The predecessor of this Castle stands at the other end of the village and is a small muddy ditch. This Castle was built by William d'Albini who erected a Priory on the site of the old Castle and built this one around 1146.

D'Albini, architect of Castle Rising, surrounded the Castle with a huge ringwork (almost perfectly circular) and it is even taller than that at Castle Rising, completely dwarfing the keep.  Sadly only the bottom part of the keep has survived, but if this was built by D'Albini it was the earliest of all England's circular keeps and is still one of the largest.  However, the reasoning behind this construction may not be one of D'Albini being ahead of his time.  Throughout Norfolk there are many early Norman churches with circular towers, the reason being the poor building stone in much of Norfolk.

Still, whatever is the case, Buckenham Castle is a tremendous example of its kind and well worth a visit.

The only record of ‘action’ at the castle was in the reign of Henry III when Sir Henry Hastings is said to have attacked the castle due to the owners allegiance with the troublesome Mortimers from Attleborough. In 1461 the castle was held by the widow of Sir John Knyvet. The King, Edward IV, sent his bailiff to seize the castle, but as he entered the bailey Sir John’s widow shouted down from the ramparts that she would die defending the castle. The bailiff withdrew and the castle remained intact until it was demolished by Parliament in 1649 without a shot being fired.

The Castle is open to the public on a keykeeper basis.

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2018