Fortified Britain
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Bristol Castle
- Castle Street, Bristol, Somerset
- Scheduled Monument
- Grade II Listed Building.
Motte enclosure castle.
1088 c: Held by Geoffrey de Mountbray, Bishop of Coutances.
1106 Robert II Cuthrose, Duke of Normandy, was imprisoned at the castle.
1120’s Rebuilt by Robert, Earl of Gloucester.
1135-1154 During: The Great Tower was built.
1140 c: Motte demolished and keep built.
1141 King Stephen was held prisoner at the castle after being captured by Lincoln.
1173-1174 Royal castle.
1216-1272 Henry III spent money on a new barbican, gate tower and Hall.
1283 Two Welsh princes, sons of Dafydd ap Gruffydd were imprisoned in the castle
13th C Rebuilt.
1327 Edward II was held in the castle following his forced abdication.
1399 John Bushey, Henry Green and William Scrope, Earl of Wiltshire, fled to the castle after the Duke of Lancaster landed in England whilst Richard II was in Ireland.
1399 c 4th July: Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, his son Henry Percy and Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland, laid siege to the castle with a force of 60,000 Lancastrian supporters.
1455-1487 Wars of The Roses: Yorkist castle.
1486 In ruins.
15th C Derelict and abandoned.
1540-1546 Itinerary of John Leland: Ruined. Had a few towers.
1634-1635 In ruins.
1645 Civil War: Captured by Sir Thomas Fairfax for Parliament.
1647 March: Garrison kept at the castle.
1650 c: Demolished by orders of Parliament
1653 April: The garrison was disbanded.
1653-1655 The castle was demolished under the orders of Oliver Cromwell.
1655 October: Demolition of the castle had taken place.
1847 Moat covered.
1951 Excavated – curtain wall uncovered
1960’s Excavated – gateway and underground passageway uncovered
1968 Cock and Bottle Lane excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1968-1970 Excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1969 Middle Terrace excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1970 East Street excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1970 Motte and part of the ditch excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1970 Castle Park and North Side excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1970 North west corner of the keep Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1970 St. Peters church and Castle Street, excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1970 Peter Street excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 Motte ditch Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 Newgate Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 North west corner of the keep Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 Original motte ditch Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 Motte ditch watching brief by excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 Wall Watching Brief Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1971 North of Castle Green Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1989 Keep excavated by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1992-1993 Peter Street and Castle Park Watching Brief by Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
1993 North west of castle keep excavated by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.
1993 Castle Park Evaluated by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.
1994-1995 South and west curtain walls Watching Brief by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.
1995 Castle Park Watching Brief by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.
1996 Vaulted chambers Watching Brief by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.
20th C Nothing survives.
2000 Vaulted chambers Watching Brief by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.
2000 Broadmeade assessed by Bristol and Region Archaeological Services.