North Elmham Castle
Ruined castle and former bishop's fortified residence in Norfolk.
via Wikipedia: North Elmham Castle · see source
North Elmham Castle, sometimes called North Elmham Bishops Castle or North Elmham Bishops Chapel, is a ruined structure in the Norfolk village of North Elmham. Its construction in the 11th century occurred where the Anglo-Saxon cathedral of Elmham once stood, and it served as the seat of Herbert de Losinga, Bishop of Norwich. On 29 December 1387, Bishop Henry le Despenser received permission to add battlements to the church, which he then turned into a castle with two moats.
By the 1500s the castle had fallen into decay, and nothing remained visible above ground by the 1800s. English Heritage now looks after the site; they carried out excavations in the 1970s that uncovered the earthworks and ruins. Visitors can see a kitchen hearth, arches, cathedral towers, and walls. Entry is free and the ruins are open all year. The castle holds both grade I listed building and scheduled monument status.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Breckland, Norfolk, England
- Condition
- Only earthworks remain
Facts from the source article.
Debate
There is debate over some of the ruins at the site. Though it is known for certain that part of the ruins are from the castle and 11th-century church, the building which stood there prior to it is in doubt. It was thought to have been the site of a Saxon cathedral built of stone and flint, and used as the seat of the bishops of East Anglia during the late Anglo-Saxon period until 1075. Architectural historians now believe that though an Anglo-Saxon church made of timber did exist on the site, the stone remains are actually of a Norman chapel built after the Norman invasion.
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