| Ballands Castle | |
|---|---|
| Penselwood, Somerset | |
  Ballands Castle | |
| Coordinates | 51°04′40″N 2°21′14″W / 51.0778°N 2.3540°W / 51.0778; -2.3540 |
| Grid reference | grid reference ST753310 |
| Type | Motte and bailey |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Earthworks remain |
Ballands Castle was a castle near the village of Penselwood, Somerset, England.
History
Balland Castle was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, near the village of Penselwood in Somerset. 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.
The motte of the castle is now around 5 m high, and up to 9 m wide. The bailey lies to the south, and both the motte and the bailey are surrounded by ditches.
Today the castle site is a scheduled monument.
See also
Bibliography
- Creighton, Oliver Hamilton. (2005) Castles and Landscapes: Power, Community and Fortification in Medieval England. London: Equinox. ISBN 978-1-904768-67-8.
References
- ^ 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.