Ipswich Castle

Ipswich Castle was built after the Norman conquest of England in the town of Ipswich; the exact location is uncertain, with the modern-day Ipswich arboretum or the mount near St Stephen's church being two possibilities. By the 12th century the Bigod family had come to dominate Suffolk, holding the title of the Earl of Norfolk and owning the four major castles of Framlingham, Bungay, Walton and Thetford. Tensions persisted throughout the period, however, between the Crown and the Bigods. Hugh Bigod was one of a group of dissenting barons during the Anarchy in the reign of King Stephen, and controlled Ipswich Castle. At the end of the conflict, Stephen struck into Hugh's territory and took…