castle castle medieval castle town england castle termed norman fort small built corner fortified years norman conquest england intended help control devon following widespread revolt norman rule norman fort abandoned middle 12th century second castle constructed following wave law order problems england included stone tower surrounding bailey rapidly prison court administer laws devon tower rebuilt middle 13th century probably richard earl cornwall redesigned resemble bailey castle design period heavily symbolic authority power castle prison courtroom passed cornwall owned 20th century condition castle varied considerably time repeatedly renovated left deteriorate nonetheless period english civil war restoration 17th century castle played important forest administration 19th century castle acquired bad reputation injustice 14th century complaints law persisted centuries early 19th century constructed ceased centre legal administration castle fell ruin middle century castle passed hands state 21st century run english_heritage tourist attraction historian described castle significant earliest example purpose built england earthworks norman fort owned open public history castle built aftermath norman conquest england william intervened widespread anglo saxon revolts norman rule set region william responsible building urban castles england centres power devon constructed new urban castles exeter possibly town called type fortified anglo saxon town called castle 21st century called norman fort built isolated south west corner soon design metres metres size protected existing defences similar pattern castle building existing anglo saxon seen castles interior castle store grain large timber earth buildings uncertain storage facilities intended supplying norman troops storing grain wider economic purposes castle briefly abandoned middle 12th century grain stores destroyed fire reason uncertain period town economic decline construction late 12th century richard government attempted promote growth including trade town widespread problems law order england including south west basis richard government decided build fortification holding royal prisoners west town old castle prestigious location town church fortification referred contemporary documents variously strong house castle respectively unclear decision taken build new castle different location town case unique similar shift occurred canterbury gloucester generally changes castle location associated destruction older defence changes political leadership archaeologist suggests new site chosen earlier castle owned crown case disrepair spent construction castle paid crown revenues devon cornwall castle took form stone tower surrounding bailey bailey rectangular 21st century measures feet feet bailey protected deep ditches south west north east sides north west protected valley original fortifications south east bailey probably formed small courtyard tower space occupied 13th century earthworks probably entrance original castle tower square free standing building feet feet storeys tall 12th century tower sat flat ground mound walls roughly built slate granite foot thick pierced arrow slits tower spine wall middle building dividing floor rooms entrance probably floor building internal water supply installed decorated survives role forest law castle primarily designed military function king john succeeded throne castle garrisoned equipped prevent potential unrest breaking region castle lacked usual military features time external design intended evoke authority traditional defensive fortification resist actual attack instead helping deal wider problems castle appears built intention enforcing forest law devon possible crown originally intended castle took law cornwall devon practice role extended governing devon law medieval english legal system governing tin industry particular devon major producer tin 12th century produced independent miners worked deposits region industry regulated crown mining output raised revenue fines imposed broke laws laws helped manage relationship miners local people economic interests odds output tin increased end 12th century onwards encouraging crown extend regulation generate revenue william controlled castle start john reign appointed warden new office intended provide additional administration mining industry courts established devon backed team officials creation 14th century administration law delegated onwards castle designated prison supporting court processes forests special areas land medieval england owned crown subject forest law selected natural resources expected provide crown flow money raw materials extended devon john curtailed extent royal forest removing devon forest law leaving area known modern period reduced forest subject involving specialised group legal officials met castle impose fines probably forest given arrangement changed estates given richard earl cornwall legally meant converted chase cornwall continued hold law courts castle enforcing chase laws closely resembled richard second son took possession castle earl cornwall richard took close interest developing town creating additional market introducing new fair time main tower castle demolished rebuilt probably richard possibly following fire building richard wealthy politician rebuilding castle way provided important status symbol region previous tower stripped existing walls feet ground ground floor arrow slits filled storeys built older walls better executed higher proportion granite stone thinner typically foot thick structure remained essentially new tower slightly smaller measuring feet feet floor basically designed sequence rooms different levels comfort intended function prison second floor better finished hall chamber probably operated courtroom provided accommodation keeper castle work earth mound foot high base tower original ground floor castle underground cellar probably pit low status prisoners reached ladder floor ground floor occurred order pressure walls mound uncertain towers keeps similar excavation usually required foundations examined castles known build walls reason building mound uncertain certainly designed defensive feature instead probably intended imitate older bailey designs completed castle echoing symbols power reinforcing current political status owner richard son took little interest preferring death castle left decay ruins reverted crown royal favourite earl cornwall castle passed castle repaired start century use prison fell power thomas temporarily entrusted castle new regime castle valued little piers widow leased property continued operate prison edward black prince duke cornwall acquired castle margaret death extensive repairs took place years castle considered decorated inside centuries condition castle fluctuated castle roof stripped lead castles cornwall castle possibly dug 15th century crown let range individuals including sir sir remained centre forest administration 14th 15th centuries despite complaints non miners start 14th century prison regime castle overly end century prison reputation poor grim conditions known rhymes complaining law date continued popular centuries member parliament campaigning reform laws arrested officials imprisoned castle later described kept underground room fed bread water paid keeper release took castle direct control poor repair renovation work carried elizabeth report suggested castle unable function prison poor condition fresh repair work carried castle involved english civil war broke royalist supporters charles parliament castle royalist commander sir main military prison region terrible reputation complained execute military prisoners money innocent civilians fear imprisonment end civil war estate appears sold parliament castle assessed totally ruined roof tower intact floors beams collapsing site including bailey worth restoration charles_ii throne castle forest taken ownership sir rider master courts continued held regulate forest repairs dilapidated building appear carried report drawn government noting laws enforced working prison work carried bringing castle good order spine wall rebuilt properly second floor windows enlarged courtroom featured chair court judge additional seating court officials public section outside room courtroom doubled hall village dances start 19th century sir lord warden began construction prison grew increasingly important courts began held instead castle castle declined courtroom unsafe use remaining judicial fittings stripped middle 19th century cornwall rejected proposals repair castle order bring service expensive castle site enclosed prevent injuries children tempted play stonework 1870s town vastly reduced importance medieval period castle roofs floors collapsed removed centuries cornwall continued castle 20th century architect estate proposed converting property private house turned project gave castle repairs carried 1930s 1950s archaeological investigations undertaken 1960s 21st century castle controlled english_heritage operated tourist attraction historian described castle significant earliest example purpose built england earthworks norman fort owned open public castle sites protected law ancient monuments
Lydford Castle