Buckenham Castle, Medieval castle ruins in New Buckenham, England
Buckenham Castle is a medieval castle ruin in New Buckenham featuring a circular stone keep with walls about 11 feet (3.4 meters) thick at the base and rising approximately 40 feet (12 meters) high. The structure sits within an inner bailey surrounded by defensive earthworks.
William d'Albini built the castle during King Stephen's reign, relocating the settlement from its original location. The former site later became home to a priory.
The castle shaped the founding of New Buckenham village, which was built with a planned grid layout and surrounded by defensive walls. You can still sense how the settlement grew around the stronghold.
The castle sits on private land and visitors must obtain permission and collect a key from the village shop on King Street before entering. Check ahead about current access rules to plan your visit.
The circular keep here ranks among the earliest examples of this building style in England and shows how medieval castle design evolved. This innovative design was a departure from traditional square towers of the time.
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