More information : (ST 80953254) Castle (GT) (site of) (ST 80873255;) Bull Ring (TI). (1)
License to build a castle at Mere was granted to Richard, Earl of Cornwall, in 1253. The castle included six towers, a hall, inner and outer gates, a deep well and a Chapel. It was repaired in 1300 and probably thereafter fell into decay. It is said to have disappeared 'long before 1660' but Lovibond states that it was not finally demolished until 1780-90. There is a c1700 reference to walls and arches being visible in digging on the hill and in 1887 partial excavations were made by T H Baker and the Rev E G Wyld. The building revealed was rectangular, c 390 by 102 feet with two circular towers on each side and a rectangular tower at each end.
APS show the castle site to be separated from the spur by a large ditch at the west end. The ditch is known as the Bull Ring and was a recognised playground for local youth and had been used for bull-baiting. MOW records refer to stone foundations being visible on top of the motte in 1955 when a war memorial and flag-pole were erected. The hill below the mound is terraced. Finds in gardens at the foot of the hill include a 15th-16thc stoneware figure, in Salisbury Museum (5) and a 15thc alabaster panel, in Mere church (6) which have been associated with the castle. (2-8)
Castle Hill is a natural ridge which has been levelled at its top to form a building platform and steeper slopes. It is isolated from
the rest of Long Hill by a 4.9 metre deep ditch, now known as the Bull Ring. A second ditch 1.5 metres deep is located on the east slope.
Access to the castle appears to have been gained by a 2.0 metre wide causeway on the SW side of the hill. The top of the hill has been quarried and no foundations are visible. Surveyed at 1:2500. (9,10)
Scheduled listing. (11)
Listed by Cathcart King. (12) |