Buckenham Castle: New Buckenham Castle

• Castle Hill, New Buckenham, Norfolk
• OSGB – TM 0842 9041
• Grade I Listed Building.

Medieval motte and bailey castle which had inner and outer baileys. It had the earliest circular keep in Britain with the walls measuring 11ft thick and up to 40ft high. The ringwork measured 200ft across and was defended by a bank and ditch, with the ditch measuring 29.5ft wide.

The ditch had been widened at some time and a new entrance added. The second bailey was to the south east.

1145-1150                   c: Built by William de Albini to replace Old Buckenham castle, included a keep and a gatehouse.

1216                            Defences increased.

1263                            Besieged during the Baron’s War.

1295                            Thomas de Grey was born at the castle.

13^th C                           Keep, gatehouse and moat.

1340                            c: Ivetta de Grey was born at the castle.

1350                            Ivetta de Grey married William Clapton at the castle.

1368                            Sir John de Clifton, Lord Clifton, held the castle.

1400-1412                   c: Joan Kynvet and Margaret Kynvet were born at the castle.

1427                            John Kynvet acquired the castle through his marriage Elizabeth Clifton.

1445                            Inherited by Elizabeth Kynvet.

1460                            Seized and held by John and William Kynvet.

1461                            c: 15^th September – John Twyer, the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, went to remove John and William Kynvet under orders of the King. Alice, wife of John Kynvet, refused to let them in stating they would be breaking the peace, and as John Twyer was a JP she said it would be inadequate to use force, so they left.

1549                            c: Held by Sir Edmund Kynvet.

1565                            Thomas Kynvet was born at the castle.

1583                            Philip Kynvet was born at the castle.

1588                            Francis Kynvet was born at the castle.

1589                            Robert Kynvet was born at the castle.

1590                            Elizabeth Kynvet was born at the castle.

1594                            John Kynvet was born at the castle.

1649                            Demolished by Sir Philip Kynvet.

1930’s                          Excavated by P. Westgate.

1970                            Field Investigation.

1981                            Field Investigation.

1996                            Evaluated.

1999                            Surveyed and Measured.