Stogursey Castle: Stoke-Courcy: Wyndeats

PRIVATE PROPERTY

 

• Stoke Courcy, Somerset. 
• Scheduled Monument.
• Grade II Listed Building.

 

Medieval motte and bailey enclosure castle. Had inner and outer baileys surrounded by wet moats and a curtain wall. The gatehouse was to the east.

Once owned by Robert Fitz Paine.

 

1090                             First mentioned. Owned by the de Courcy family.

11^th-12^th C                    Built.

1166                             Held by William de Curci (III), Lord of Stogursey

1171                             William de Curci (III), Lord of Stogursey, died and his son, William de Curci (IV), inherited.

1189                             William de Curci (IV) took possession of the castle.

1194                             William de Curci (IV) died without issue.

1215                             Held for King John.

1216                             Before: Alice de Courcy, sister to William de Curci (IV), had married Warin Fitz Gerald and forfeited the Honour.

1216                             Orders were given for the castle to be destroyed, but they were not carried out.

1216-1272                    During: Fawkes de Breauté held the castle through his wife, Alice de Courcy’s Daughter.

1224                             Fawke rebelled against the King and the constable was ordered to surrender the castle to the Sheriff. Joan, daughter of Alice de Courcy, claimed half the Honour.

1228                             Joan’s husband, Hugh de Neville, owned the lands. Orders were again given to destroy the castle.

1233                             Henry III ordered Hugh de Neville to fortify the castle.

1246                             Hugh de Neville’s son, John, Died.

1256                             Hugh de Neville (2) fortified the lands due to a rebellion.

1266                             Hugh de Neville (2) surrendered the castle and Henry III gave it to Robert Walerand.

1266-1297                    Between: Held by Ames of Savoy; held by Thomas Button, Archbishop of Wells; Queen Eleanor.

1269                             Hugh de Neville died.

1272-1307                    During: Passed to Sir Robert Fitz Paine.

13^th C                           Towers.

1301                             c: Robert Walerand died and the castle was held by the Crown.

1304                             The Constable was ordered to repair the bridges.

1308                             Edward II granted custody to Robert Fitz Payn (III)

1315                             Robert Fitz Payn (III) died.

1354                             Robert Fitz Payn (IV) died. His wife, Ela, and daughter, Isabel, held the castle.

1394                             Isabel married Richard Poynings, Lord Poynings.

14^th C                           Curtain wall possibly rebuilt.

1446                             Robert, Lord Poynings died and Eleanor, his granddaughter, wife of Richard Percy, Earl of Northumberland, held the lands.

1457/9                          Wars of the Roses: Burnt down and was never repaired.

1484                             Eleanor died and her son, Henry, held the lands.

1489                             Henry died and his son, Henry Algernon held the lands.

1490’s                          New tower built and two towers re-roofed.

1519                             Repairs carried out.

1527                             Henry Algernon died and his son, Henry, inherited.

1530                             Until: A Constable was paid.

1537                             Henry died and the lands were gifted to the Crown, who granted them to Sir Richard Gresham, then Henry Courtney, Marquess of Exeter.

1538                             In decay.

1541                             Granted to Queen Catherine Howard.

1542                             Granted to Queen Catherine Parr.

1548                             Queen Catherine Parr died and it passed to Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset.

1552                             Went back to the Crown.

1553                             Given to Edward Courtney, Earl of Devon.

1557                             Held by Thomas Percy.

1572                             Thomas died and it was inherited by Henry Percy.

1585                             Henry Percy died and it was inherited by his son, Henry Percy.

16^th C                           In a bad state of repair.

1614                             Before: The gatehouse was built on to, to form a farm house.

1632                             Henry died and his son, Algernon inherited.

1668                             Algernon died and it was inherited by his son, Joceline.

1670                             Joceline died.

1681                             The lands were sold off in pieces.

1684                             Farmhouse still lived in.

17^th C                           House built into two of the drum towers.

1724                             Owned by John Willis of Goathurst.

1733                             Print shows towers and walls remained.

1761                             John Willis died and he left it to George Davis.

1786                             George Davis died and it was inherited by his son William.

1820                             William Davis sold it to Sir Peregrine Acland.

1878                             c; Farm house rebuilt.

19^th C                           South wall rebuilt.

1952                             Sold by Lord St. Audries.

1961                             Scheduled.

1964                             Field Investigation.

1975                             Field Investigation.

1981                             The Landmark Trust renovated and repaired the Gatehouse.

1981-1982                    Excavated.

1982-1984                    Watching Brief by Western Archaeological Trust.

1990                             Aerial photograph.

20^th C                           Some of the curtain wall remains.

2003                             22^nd December: Scheduled.