EXETER CASTLE

Devon

Exeter is a city that has suffered an astonishing number of sieges.  The Romans were here and called the town Ista.  They built the original City Walls.  In 876 the Danes captured the City, they were then repulsed by King Alfred three years later.  The Danes returned in 1003 and destroyed part of the City. Then in 1068 the Normans under the command of William I arrived and after an 18 day siege took the City.  King Stephen sieged the City, which was the place where Queen Matilda landed in England, in 1138.  Perkin Warbeck captured Exeter twice and another siege occurred in 1549.  Two more followed in the Civil War and the City was even bombed heavily during World War II.

That anything of antiquity at all could survive all this is remarkable.  But Exeter has some wonderful old buildings.  Dominated, of course, by the Cathedral the Castle is nevertheless quite impressive.

It gains its oft-used alternative name of "Rougemont" from the red earth motte, and the colour of the sandstone used to construct most buildings hereabouts.  The Castle as it stands today is almost entirely the work of the Conqueror who built the Castle immediately after taking the City. The Gatehouse (pictured) has hardly been altered since that time, and as such is an almost unique survivor of early Norman gatehouse architecture.

Although much of the walling and towers of the Castle remain, little is intact having suffered continuous sieges and almost constant destruction over the centuries.  What does remain is mostly easily accessible at all hours.

An interesting side note was the discovery in 1996 of the so-called "Danes Castle" a siegework in northern Exeter which was long considered to be lost, but was found when an old Victorian reservoir was knocked down.  It is now a small public space with a plaque.

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© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions, Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
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2001