Trowbridge Castle

Trowbridge Castle is a 12th-century castle ruin featuring a motte-and-bailey design with visible foundation remains and defensive earthworks. The outer defenses along the north and west sides can still be traced across the site today.

Excavations in the late 1980s revealed that a manorial settlement occupied the site before the castle was built in the 12th century. Earlier occupation dating back to Romano-British times shows this location held strategic importance for many generations.

The street names and layout of modern Trowbridge still reflect the castle's medieval footprint, with Fore Street following the line of the old ditch. The town center preserves this ancient ordering even as the castle itself has long since vanished.

The site is located within Trowbridge town center and is easy to find from the main streets around you. The exposed foundations and earthworks can be viewed freely without any special equipment or preparation needed.

A 1988 excavation carried out during the construction of a Co-operative Dairy Depot uncovered additional evidence of medieval building methods used at the castle. These discoveries added unexpected insights into how the medieval structure was actually built.

GPS coordinates: 51.31966,-2.20844

Latest update: December 9, 2025 20:27