Sherborne Old Castle

Sherborne Old Castle stands as a brooding medieval ruin on the edge of Sherborne, its fractured towers telling a story of power, rivalry, and destruction. Built in the 12th century by Bishop Roger of Salisbury, it became one of the most formidable fortified residences in Wessex. For centuries it served as a strategic stronghold, but its fate was sealed in the 1640s when Sir Walter Raleigh’s later mansion overshadowed it and Civil War forces deliberately slighted the medieval fortress, leaving the dramatic ruins seen today. Inside the site, visitors can explore the Great Tower, whose surviving walls hint at the grandeur of the bishop’s residence. The gatehouse remains reveal the castle’s defensive sophistication, while the courtyard offers sweeping views across the surrounding countryside. Interpretation panels help reconstruct daily life, from the bishop’s administrative power to the later Tudor occupation. Fragments of fireplaces, stairways, and chambers allow you to imagine the castle’s former scale, and the earthworks surrounding the ruin show how deeply fortified it once was. The peaceful grounds, now dotted with wildflowers and birds, contrast with the castle’s turbulent past, making Sherborne Old Castle both an evocative ruin and a window into medieval authority.