Bridgwater
Blake
Museum
Bridgwater’s Heritage
From Stone Age to Modern Age, there’s something for everyone.
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In 1200, King John granted the town a charter which allowed William Brewer
to build a castle, to create a borough outside of its walls and to hold a market
and fair.
Bridgwater Castle was a substantial structure being built in old red sandstone
it covered an area of some 8 to 9 acres. A moat of up to 20 metres wide
surrounded the castle in what is now Fore Street and Castle Moat, and
between Northgate and Chandos Street.
An engraving by John Chubb shows the seventeenth
century mansion house which once occupied the site of
the castle keep. These were demolished to permit the
development of part of King Square. In the background is
Castle Street which was partly built by 1723.
Impression of the Castle Entrance
by Mr John Stuckey
Impression of Bridgwater Castle
by Mr Michael Stirling
Castle Ruins by John Chubb
a local merchant and artist 1746-1818
A west view of Bridgwater Castle in Somersetshire from the George III collection
Siege of Bridgwater 1645
The main entrance was opposite the Cornhill in the area of York Buildings.
The complex included a dungeon, chapel, stables, a dovecote, a bell tower
and agricultural buildings. A 12ft portion of the castle wall and water gate can
be found on West Quay, and remains of what is thought to be a building
within the walls of the castle can be seen in Queen Street. During
excavations to construct Homecastle House in Chandos Street, foundations
of the north east tower were found. The castle being built on the only raised
ground in the town, controlled the crossing of the River Parrett.
Over the centuries the castle fell into disrepair and certainly by about 1347-48,
parts of the moat had been back filled and built over and some walls had been
pulled down. During the Siege of Bridgwater in 1645, the castle was either
damaged or destroyed. Later, houses were built and the area subsequently
redeveloped.
Bridgwater Castle
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Blake Museum
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Bridgwater, Somerset
TA6 3NB
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In 1200, King John granted the town a charter which
allowed William Brewer to build a castle, to create a
borough outside of its walls and to hold a market and
fair.
Bridgwater Castle was a substantial structure being
built in old red sandstone it covered an area of some
8 to 9 acres. A moat of up to 20 metres wide
surrounded the castle in what is now Fore Street and
Castle Moat, and between Northgate and Chandos
Street.
Castle Ruins by John Chubb
a local merchant and artist 1746-1818
The main entrance was opposite the Cornhill in the
area of York Buildings. The complex included a
dungeon, chapel, stables, a dovecote, a bell tower
and agricultural buildings. A 12ft portion of the castle
wall and water gate can be found on West Quay, and
remains of what is thought to be a building within the
walls of the castle can be seen in Queen Street.
During excavations to construct Homecastle House in
Chandos Street, foundations of the north east tower
were found. The castle being built on the only raised
ground in the town, controlled the crossing of the
River Parrett.
Impression of Bridgwater Castle
by Mr Michael Stirling
Over the centuries the castle fell into disrepair and
certainly by about 1347-48, parts of the moat had
been back filled and built over and some walls had
been pulled down. During the Siege of Bridgwater in
1645, the castle was either damaged or destroyed.
Later, houses were built and the area subsequently
redeveloped.
An engraving by John Chubb shows the seventeenth
century mansion house which once occupied the site of
the castle keep. These were demolished to permit the
development of part of King Square. In the background is
Castle Street which was partly built by 1723.
Privacy:
First-hand Cookies are neither requested nor generated by this site.
Copyright © Bridgwater Blake Museum 2024
