FARNHAM CASTLE

Surrey

Farnham Castle is a peculiar sort of building.  It has a small square tower keep (only foundations nowadays) surrounded by a motte, surrounded by a shell keep.

The first Castle was built during the Anarchy by King Stephen's brother, Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester.  The original stone keep was probably built by Henry around 1138.  However, he was forced to flee abroad when Henry II became King and the Castle was dismantled, only to be rebuilt again by Henry de Blois again in 1158.  Later a pile of earth was heaped against Henry's tower as if to emulate a motte and a shell keep was added around that.

The outer walls, now much altered (and a good deal of which are not available for public viewing), were added later and the Gatehouse around 1470 by William of Waynflete. These outer buildings have survived well enough to remain habitable, but the shell keep was battered badly during the Civil War when the Castle and town changed sides many many times.

The keep is owned by English Heritage and is open during the summer, the outer buildings are privately owned but open occasionally during the summer.

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2018