Nunney Castle

Nunney Castle is a 14th Century french style castle surrounded by a moat within the village.

Built for Sir John Delamare in 1373 A veteran of the Hundred Years’ War, Sir John would later become Sheriff of Somerset. It was later the property of William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester, before passing to several owners and in 1577 was sold by Swithun Thorpe to John Parker who only kept it for a year before selling it to Richard Prater, at a cost of £2000.

During the English Civil Wars (1642-51) Colonel Richard Prater, who held the castle until 1645, lost it to Fairfax, the commander of Cromwell’s forces in the battle that took place at Nunney. The castle was besieged for two days, but capitulated when Cromwell’s men used cannon to blast a great hole in the north wall of the castle. It was never lived in again.

The shell of Nunney Castle stands today, as all of the floors were removed or burned and the roof was removed to render it uninhabitable. Its moat, walls, and towers are still intact. The badly damaged wall finally collapsed in 1910.