Castle
Bristol Castle
ENG England · 11th century
Bristol Castle was a Norman castle established in the late 11th century on the north bank of the River Avon in Bristol. Remains can be seen today in Castle Park near the Broadmead Shopping Centre, including the sally port.
Built during the reign of William the Conqueror, and later owned by Robert FitzHamon, it became an important royal castle and was the scene of several imprisonments and executions. The castle was modified and further fortified between the 12th and 13th centuries under Robert of Gloucester and King Henry III. By the 16th century it was mostly neglected; it was torn down in 1656 under orders from Oliver Cromwell.
Text adapted from “Bristol Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Bristol Castle ranks #61 of 6,412 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #17 of the 233 mapped in England. Founded c. 1075, it is older than 90% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 210 atlas entries founded in the 11th century. See how England compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →Frequently asked questions
Where is Bristol Castle?
Bristol Castle stands in England, at 51.4559°, -2.5883°.
When was Bristol Castle built?
The atlas dates its founding to c. 1075. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.
How famous is Bristol Castle?
In this atlas's fame ranking: #61 of 6,412 worldwide, and #17 in England. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.
What is the nearest castle to Bristol Castle?
Caldicot Castle, about 19 km away.
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