medieval castle small town suffolk england built shortly norman conquest england bailey castle later improved stone 14th century castle home richest women england maintained substantial household castle passed hands crown 16th century ruins damaged construction great eastern railway castle remains castle local park scheduled monument grade listed building history 11th 13th centuries soon norman conquest england granted blocks land kent later suffolk essex richard built castles defend new lands kent followed suffolk exact date construction unknown documentary records castle appear 11th century suffolk prosperous parts country built took form bailey design common feet wide base feet tall flat summit feet stretching alongside north east protected deep ditches steep causeway linking inner outer bailey inner bailey sheltered curve castle built site anglo saxon manor house probably reflective wider norman effort demonstrate authority replaced previous lords castles termed historian describes having defensive value represented reflected rank dignity lord castle surrounded parks including great park established like major castles local religious house founded close castle grew contain new built probably 13th century took form shell fourteen triangular buttresses supporting foot thick walls inner bailey strengthened new stone walls feet tall earlier earth banks walls built flint rubble castle manned period castle guard system lands given local lords return providing knights soldiers serve castle 14th century early 14th century outbreak town population continued estates england suffolk possessions concentrated estates castle castle passed line died battle estate passed sisters husband died previous year acquired castle combined estates elizabeth wealthiest women england elizabeth castle main residence castle developed time reached gates positioned wider estate called castle stone towers protecting entrance inner bailey called elizabeth built chamber use castle substantial water garden forming moat east existed castle period included fountain probably geometric form possibly similar garden nearby norfolk surrounded property castle parks continued active use local programme local deer moved animals grew older castle estates supported luxurious wealthy lifestyle owners elizabeth income approximately year spent supporting household centred spent food drink including salmon german goods bought locally cloth wine imported castle international held bury london king staff castle included supported necessary knights castle produce bread day average gallons litres days 15th 21st centuries death passed marriage sir acquired castle contemporaries reported good repair stocked subsequent years saw heavily involved wars roses death castle passed richard york turn son crown castle deteriorated period masonry castle probably stripped use local building materials england traditionally short suitable stone gave castle sir reverted mary castle acquired sir family retained 19th century point surviving east south sides inner bailey walls destroyed cambridge branch line great eastern railway built castle cutting largely destroying inner bailey order room new station railway line later closed axe castle consists stands outer bailey earthworks fragments inner bailey stone wall seen disused station goods yard castle grounds developed country park water old called castle country park crossed park opened june acres donated acres railway land bought curtain wall extensively consolidated assistance english heritage surviving capped walkway reintroduced protect surviving original masonry fixed outer wall march park transferred trust manages castle country park behalf town council support local volunteers castle scheduled monument grade listed building castle scheduled monument grade listed building
Clare Castle