Listed Building record MDO14352 - Sherborne Castle, Castleton

House in grounds. Late sixteenth century rectangular central block with its angle turrets, built for for Sir Walter Raleigh. Enlarged by the addition of the four wings of 2 storeys with cellars and hexagonal towers in 1625 by Sir John Digby. Alteration in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and drastically restored 1859-60 by G D Wingfield-Digby. Rubble-stone walls, stuccoed, with freestone dressings. Lead-covered roofs.

SHERBORNE CASTLE (1594) [T.I.] (3)

SHERBORN CASTLE (1594) "A large mansion situate in SHERBORNE PARK the residence & property of J.K.W. DIGBY Esq., M.P. The stables, gardens etc are about 1/4 mile to the W. This house was built by SIR WALTER RALEIGH. It is in the form of the letter H with two towers at each end". (2)

The property was acquired by Sir Walter RALEIGH in 1592. He started to restore the medieval castle but abandoned this in favour of building a new house to the S, on the site of an earlier building.

This Late 16th century house forms the rectangular central block of the present building. In 1617 the property passed to the DIGBYS and in 1625 the house was enlarged by the addition of the four corner wings, of two storeys with three storeyed hexagonal angle towers.

Alterations were made to the E. front in the L.17thc., and to the interior of the house in the 18th c.

In 1859-60 the house was drastically restored and a range built along the W. side, and the main staircase rebuilt. (4) [Similar information] (1). (1, 4)

The name "SHERBORN CASTLE" still applies. (5)

[ST 64931641] SHERBORN CASTLE is at present unoccupied, but in a reasonably good state of repair. The house has been stucco faced. The extent of the 16th and 17th c. work is shown on the
plan in T.3. and authority (1) of T3 gives a full architectural account of the building. (6)

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1870, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 4, 275-80 (Monograph). SDO17392.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book (ONB) reference (Monograph). SWX8217.

ONB. Dorset 6 SW. 1901 p.66. (a) O.S. 230 (attached) signed by Messrs Rawlence and Squarey, Estate Offices, Sherborne 1901

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1928 (Map). SWX1197.

SHERBORNE CASTLE (1594) [T.I.]

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 66-69 (Monograph). SDO97.

<5> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 16-JUL-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<6> Trevett, A R, 1955, Oral: Mr A R Trevett, Sherborne Castle Estate Office, Rawlence & Squarey, Cheap Street, Sherborne, 15.7.55 (Verbal communication). SDO17489.

<7> English Heritage, 2005, Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England: Dorset (Revised), PART 12 (Monograph). SDO17438.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F169/3 (Index). SDO14738.

SHERBORNE CASTLE AT CASTLETON.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 199470 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 19 2022 1:04PM