Castles · South West England
Bristol Castle
Bristol Castle — Norman castle in Bristol.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Bristol Temple Meads · 0.9 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Bristol Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Designed by Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "Norman castle in Bristol". Coordinates: 51.4559°, -2.5883°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Bristol Castle was a Norman castle established in the late 11th century on the north bank of the River Avon in Bristol. Remains can be seen today in Castle Park near the Broadmead Shopping Centre, including the sally port. Built during the reign of William the Conqueror, and later owned by Robert FitzHamon, it became an important royal castle and was the scene of several imprisonments and executions. The castle was modified and further fortified between the 12th and 13th centuries under Robert of Gloucester and King Henry III.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Severn Estuary SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Bristol Castle was a Norman castle established in the late 11th century on the north bank of the River Avon in Bristol. Remains can be seen today in Castle Park near the Broadmead Shopping Centre, including the sally port. Built during the reign of William the Conqueror, and later owned by Robert FitzHamon, it became an important royal castle and was the scene of several imprisonments and executions. The castle was modified and further fortified between the 12th and 13th centuries under Robert of Gloucester and King Henry III. By the 16th century it was mostly neglected; it was torn down in 1656 under orders from Oliver Cromwell.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The first castle built at Bristol was a timber motte and bailey, presumably erected on the command of William the Conqueror, who retained the manor of Bristol within the royal demesne. One of William's closest allies, Geoffrey de Montbray, Bishop of Coutances, appears to have had control of the castle in William's name. The Domesday Book of 1086 records that he received part of the king's income from the borough. The castle is first mentioned in surviving records in 1088, when Geoffrey used it as a base in his rebellion against King William II. After William II triumphed, the English lands of the rebels were redistributed to his loyal followers. Among the recipients was Robert FitzHamon,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4559, -2.5883
- District
- Bristol, City of
- Parish
- Bristol, City of, unparished area
- Postcode
- BS1 3BZ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Bristol Central
- Established
- 1086
- Nearest railway station
- Bristol Temple Meads — 0.9 km
- Official site
- roxyleisure.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q4968836 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Bristol Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Bristol Castle South Prospect.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Other works by Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Bristol Castle?
- Bristol Castle is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode BS1 3BZ), in the parish of Bristol, City of, unparished area.
- When was Bristol Castle built?
- Built or established in 1086. Designed by Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester.
- Is Bristol Castle a listed building?
- Bristol Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Bristol Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Bristol Castle is part of the Severn Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Does Bristol Castle charge admission?
- Bristol Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Bristol Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Bristol Temple Meads, about 0.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BS1 3BZ.