Record Details

NHER Number:13375
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Great Yarmouth Castle

Summary

The site of Great Yarmouth's medieval castle. The castle was probably constructed before 1208. In 1550 it was given to the town and used a gaol. In 1621 it was demolished. Little is known of its structure, although a 16th century illustration shows it as a keep with four towers. Deep foundations and a floor found in 1965 during building work were probably part of it.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 5255 0736
Map Sheet:TG50NW
Parish:GREAT YARMOUTH, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

Site of castle, with four towers, used as gaol in 1550, demolished in 1621. Little is known about structure.
Information from manuscript of Andrews 1740 (S1), quoted by (S2).
Information on location from C. Lewis (GYM).

March 1965. Brunswick Hotel, 149 King Street.
3m (10 feet) deep flint and mortar foundations with boulders 0.6m (2 feet) across found in alterations, under a 16th century brick floor. Information from [1], brief report (S3) in file. Samples of boulders to Geological Survey.
Castle leased to town 3 January 1525 (first mentioned 1 Henry IV); 1550 given to town, converted to prison. Top removed 1620 and used to enclose East Mount; demolished 1621. In 1622 a house in 'Row' 76 was repaired with the material. Illustration from Elizabethan map in file; copied from cover of (S4).
(S5) claims castle extant in 1239.
'Row' 99 was known as Castle Row.
(S6) states that the name Castle was not used until 1396, but before this it was called the Kingstonhus which must take its date of foundation back to before 1208 when the town was in the king's hands.
E. Rose (NLA), 16 April 1992

Monument Types

  • CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PRISON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLOOR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Andrews,. 1740. Manuscript.
<S2>Publication: Evans, J. and Britton, J. 1810. The Beauties of England and Wales: or Delineations, Topographical, Historical and Descriptive of each County. Vol 11.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Rye, C.G.. 1965. Gt Yarmouth.
<S4>Publication: Hedges, A.A.C.. 1959. Yarmouth is an Ancient Town.
<S5>Monograph: Palmer, C.J.. 1854. History of Great Yarmouth..
<S6>Article in Serial: Rutledge, P. 1990. Before the Walls: the Early Medieval Settlement Pattern of Great Yarmouth. Yarmouth Archaeology. pp 42-48. p 43.

Related records - none

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