England · Ruin
Cary Castle
Cary Castle was a 12th‑century motte-and-bailey fortress sited on Lodge Hill overlooking the town of Castle Cary in Somerset. In its prime it had a stone keep within a small inner bailey and a larger outer bailey to the north; today only earthworks survive and it is a scheduled monument.
Its prime
1150
Today
Ruin
As it stood in 1150
What Cary Castle looked like in its prime.
A motte-and-bailey silhouette on Lodge Hill: a steep, earthen motte topped by a roughly 24-metre-square stone keep with a forebuilding and plinth, surrounded by a small inner bailey and a larger outer bailey to the north. A wide, deep ditch (recorded up to 17 m across and 6 m deep) cuts around the motte. Foundations and facing were of local Hadspen, Hamstone and Doulting stone, the whole sitting above the town of Castle Cary in the valley below.
Its story
The story of Cary Castle.
Cary Castle stood on Lodge Hill overlooking the town of Castle Cary in Somerset — a stone keep of local Hadspen, Ham and Doulting stone within a small inner bailey, with a larger outer bailey to the north and a ditch in places 17 metres wide and 6 metres deep. A lack of weathering on the keep's plinth suggests the castle was relatively short-lived after the keep was built.
During the Anarchy, Robert was exiled by King Stephen and the castle given to Ralph Lovel — who then sided with Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester, against the king. Henry de Tracy later gained control of Cary and built another stronghold in front of the older castle, demolished when William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester, arrived with his troops to take it.
The Lovels achieved the return of the castle, and their descendants were lords of the manor until the 14th century, around which time a manor house was built on or adjacent to the site, possibly by Baron Zouche. It later passed to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, and by the 1630s was occupied by Edward Kirton; today only earthworks survive, protected as a scheduled monument.
Step inside
7 places to explore in 1150.
The record describes 7 distinct spots at Cary Castle — including 1 interior: interior of the stone keep. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.
Create History
Recreate Cary Castle with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1150 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate this castle →Whose castle
Clans who held Cary Castle.
The families that held Cary Castle for a decade or more across its history — follow a name to its clan.
Lovel
Granted to Ralph Lovel during the Anarchy; Lovel descendants were lords of the manor until the 14th century.
Seymour
The manor later passed to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset.
Nearby
