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Location
near Farnham, Surrey, England
Description
Farnham Castle is situated in five acres of grounds overlooking the town of Farnham, near the border between Surrey and Hampshire .
The main castle is a "shell keep" which is basically a stone structure surrounding the top of the enclosed motte. The keep, has buttress turrets and a gatehouse. The inner bailey has a number of buildings and a fifteenth-century entrance tower. The outer bailey curtain wall has square towers, a 13th-century gatehouse and a moat. The Bishop's Palace in the grounds is an impressive 17th century building and is open for guided tours.
Facilities
There is free parking near the entrance, and there are toilets at the castle. Access to the keep is via steep flights of uneven steps.
History
Farnham castle was built in the 12th century and was the residence of the bishops of Winchester. The original Norman castle was demolished the 12th century and rebuilt again. The castle is a motte and bailey construction with the motte built around the foundations of the earlier Norman tower. There was also a larger outer Bailey surrounded by a curtain wall. The castle was partially destroyed after and Civil War in 1648 and a number of additional buildings have been built on the site since then, the most impressive of which is the Bishop's Palace built in the 17th century. The Bishop's Palace was restored in 2006 and The Keep was restored in 2010. have been restored. The castle is now used as a centre for training, conferences, events and weddings.
Other Castles in the Area
Guildford Castle, Surrey
Odiham Castle, Hampshire
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