Place of interest - Totnes Castle

The Devon market town of Totnes is today a centre for shopping and a place to sit and enjoy a morning coffee. Over 1,000 years ago things were completely different, and the area was one of the agrarian farming communities along the trade routes that criss-crossed the area. With no record of any military activity in the region, the town and its surroundings were a quiet backwater in feudal England. All that changed in 1068, two years after the Battle of Hastings, when Juhel, a supporter of William the Conqueror, was created Baron of Totnes for his part in defeating the Saxons.

Building beginnings
Arriving with his followers, these new Norman ‘masters’ set about establishing a fortification in Totnes to stamp their mark. It was very basic in form, but a well-tried and tested design of a wooden palisade on top of an earthen mound, in what is known as a motte and bailey style. It was quick, simple, and easy to construct using readily available materials. Importantly, it was strategically located where three valleys meet and overlooking the river Dart, allowing more control to be exercised over a wider area from one central location.
Juhel exercised control over the region for 20 years until 1088, when he lost his lands, probably as a result of taking part in the power struggle following the death of King William. The lands passed to Roger de Nonant, whose family held it for a time before losing it to Philip de Braose. It was he who ordered the keep to be rebuilt in stone, retaining its circular design, and replacing the wood walls with stone-built defences that extended from the summit down to the base of the motte with its formidable dry ditch or moat defence.
Despite its strategic location and, by now, obvious strength, the defences at the site were allowed to decay and fall into disrepair. In 1326, the castle was added to the possessions of the powerful de la Zouch family, who undertook to repair and strengthen the defences, which included rebuilding the keep again and adding better stabling for horses. Over the next 300 years, Britain was wracked by internal strife, including the so-called Wars of the Roses and the English Civil War, with the castle playing no serious part in these conflicts. Between 1642 and 1645, a Royalist garrison held the castle, which was taken over by Parliamentarian forces when it was evacuated. In 1646, the castle was rendered unusable by Sir Thomas Fairfax but escaped being slighted with explosives.

The castle today
In the mid-18th century, Edward Seymour, 9th Duke of Somerset, acquired the site and turned parts of it into a residential family home. Over time, the castle fell into disuse and in 1984 it was bequeathed to English Heritage, which took over the role of caretaker, being responsible for its maintenance and upkeep, and the interpretation for visitors. The town of Totnes has grown and encroached almost up to the walls of the castle, which is reached by walking past private residences. The walls of the keep loom tantalisingly over the roofs of the houses as you approach the castle and suddenly it is there, like some secret location in a back garden.
The area that would have once been known as the lower ward is today a grassed area with trees, which resembles a back garden. One of the trees is badly scarred and weather-beaten, but it is still just about possible to make out the names carved into the trunk. These are the names of Italian prisoners of war who would have worked on the farms in the area. It’s incredible to think that what tourists are seeing is what those men saw and is a link to WWII.
From this lower level, visitors ascend the motte by means of a winding pathway, laid in stone, with slight steps. The motte, with its steep surface, is almost 60 ft in height and there is only one way into the keep, which would have made defence easy whilst narrowing the attackers’ assault. Today, visitors walk through the entrance, which opens out onto an area that would have contained small buildings, probably basic shelter for the garrison. Only the outlines of the foundations are visible, but these give an indication of size. The stairs to access the unbroken walkway, which provides an uninterrupted 360º panoramic view across the area, are concealed within the walls of the keep. From this elevation, it becomes clear that Totnes Castle was purely a military base, lacking refinements for residential purposes.

Deterrent, not stronghold?
At the height of its power, its design would have made it a formidable target to attack, but not impossible to subdue. Firstly, being isolated, it would have been easy to cut off. Next, with no water supply, any besieger would only have had to bide their time to secure capture of the site. In the early, pre-gunpowder days, stone walls would have been enough, but over the centuries as weaponry improved, there was no space to allow for the defences to keep pace. For that reason, this is an important location to visit and does raise the notion that perhaps the owners believed its appearance alone was sufficient deterrence against attack. By the time of gunpowder weapons, it would have presented itself as an easy target, which military enthusiasts will appreciate.
At the base of the motte, it is possible to walk the circumference and see the dry moat, which was dug by hand, an experience that takes about five minutes and does add to understanding the site. Although not very big or grand, studying Totnes Castle, when taken together with the likes of Okehampton and Launceston castles, shows how the Normans exerted control over the south-west of their newly conquered territories.
The site has a small shop and picnic facilities, and dogs are allowed. Unfortunately, wheelchair access is restricted and there are no toilets. Details of opening times can be found at: www.english-heritage.org.uk