Castle Hill, Medieval castle site in Mere, Wiltshire, England
Castle Hill is a medieval castle ruin set on a flattened hilltop on the edge of Mere, a small market town in Wiltshire, England. Remains of walls, towers, and gates are still visible at ground level, and the original rectangular layout of the fortress can be made out clearly.
A member of the royal family ordered this fortress built in the 13th century to assert control over the surrounding area of Wiltshire. Over time the castle lost its military role and gradually fell into ruin, leaving only the stone foundations and lower walls that can be seen today.
The name Castle Hill is still used by local people to refer to the whole area around the mound, showing how deeply the site is tied to the town's identity. On certain occasions during the year, visitors can find the hill used as a gathering spot by the community.
The site is open to the public and accessible on foot via local paths, with no fences blocking the main areas of the ruins. Visiting in daylight is advisable since the hill has no artificial lighting and the paths can become slippery when wet.
Excavations carried out in the late 19th century turned up a large number of objects on the hill, but most of them have since been lost and their whereabouts are unknown. This means that much of the material history of the site remains underground, with no full record of what was once found.
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