Groby Castle, Medieval motte-and-bailey castle in Groby, England
Groby Castle is a Norman fortification featuring an earthen mound that originally supported a timber structure surrounded by a protective ditch. The remains sit near the present-day manor house and display the characteristic raised mound and enclosed defensive design of its type.
The castle was built following the Norman Conquest of 1066 and appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as one of the region's fortifications. It served as a stronghold for Norman control in the newly conquered territory.
This location served as the seat of local authority and shaped the surrounding community for centuries. Visitors can still read the hierarchy of medieval power in the shape of the earthworks today.
The site is protected as a scheduled monument and accessible to visitors via marked pathways across the grounds. Wear suitable footwear as the terrain is uneven and muddy, especially after rainfall.
Excavations in the 1960s and 2010 uncovered a stone tower buried within the mound, an unexpected discovery for this type of fortification. Most motte-and-bailey castles relied solely on timber buildings, making this find unusual and informative about construction methods of the period.
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