- Type
- Castle
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 51.1814°, -3.4443°
History
The castle on the hill above Dunster was built after the Norman Conquest by William de Mohun and is already listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1376 the widow of the last Mohun sold the estate to Lady Elizabeth Luttrell, and the Luttrells held it for six centuries; Hugh Luttrell built the surviving gatehouse around 1420. In 1617 George Luttrell put up a Jacobean mansion in the lower ward. In the Civil War the Royalist garrison surrendered to Parliament in April 1646, and the medieval walls were then pulled down. In 1868–1872 Anthony Salvin rebuilt the house as a picturesque mock-medieval castle, and in 1976 the family gave it to the National Trust.
What to see
A steep drive leads up through the 15th-century gatehouse. Inside are a 17th-century oak staircase with a richly carved balustrade, a dining room with a moulded plaster ceiling and rooms hung with painted leather. The terraced gardens on the hillside are planted with Mediterranean and subtropical species, and an old watermill works at the foot of the hill.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q2969173
Popularity: articles about this site in 16 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).