Banbury Castle, Archaeological site and medieval castle ruins in Banbury, England
Banbury Castle was a medieval fortress with a pentagonal design featuring two concentric rings of walls, defensive ditches, and towers spread across seven acres near the town center. The layout was designed to provide strategic protection and control over the surrounding area.
Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, began constructing the castle in 1135, and major reconstruction work took place between 1225 and 1250. These improvements made it one of the region's most important medieval fortifications.
The castle served as an ecclesiastical prison managed by the Bishop of Lincoln from 1276, holding both clergy and common people. Today, visitors can sense its role in local governance and the intersection of religious and secular authority.
The site is now an archaeological location where visitors should expect to find no standing structures remaining from the original fortress. Castle Street marks the historical location and provides a useful reference point when exploring the area.
The fortress suffered multiple sieges during the First English Civil War and was completely demolished in 1648. This destruction marked the end of over 500 years of operation as a military stronghold.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
