Ely Castle, also known as Cherry Hill Castle, or historically as the Mount, was an early Norman castle in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. It had a motte-and-bailey design with timber defences, of which only the earthworks survive today. Its history is uncertain; it may have been constructed in 1071 by William the Conqueror, and possibly finally destroyed in the 13th century. Today it forms part of a public park.
History
It is uncertain exactly when Ely Castle was constructed. Although its design dates it to the 11th or early 12th century, there is limited documentary evidence, no precise date, and those documents which have survived are typically ambiguous about which fortification they are referring.
The castle may have been built following the Norman Conquest, after William the Conqueror subdued the resistance movement of Hereward the Wake around the Isle of Ely in 1071. William is known to have constructed a castle at nearby Aldreth, and may well have built one in Ely as well, although there is no documentary evidence for this. Ely Castle’s location would have been tactically valuable, being close to the docks, overlooking the Stuntney Causeway, and close to the local monastery.
During the reign of William’s son, Henry I, the King makes reference to a system of castle-guard at Ely, under which knights held lands in exchange for serving at the local castle. This reference probably refers to Ely Castle, but might relate to some other, more temporary fortification that has since been lost.
Ely Castle may also be the fortification referred to in 1142, during the civil war known as the Anarchy. During the conflict, the Bishop of Ely reportedly built a stone fortification in Ely, possibly on the this site. No traces of stone fortifications remain, however, and account may refer to a different site within Ely altogether, perhaps closer to the river. King Stephen quickly took control of the castle, but in 1143 Geoffrey de Mandeville, the Earl of Essex, rebelled against Stephen and seized the castle, being confirmed in possession of it by the bishopric the following year.
The ultimate fate of the castle is also uncertain. Falk de Breauté may have destroyed the fortifications in 1216 during the first Barons’ War, with a windmill being built on top of the motte afterwards, or it may have been destroyed after being captured by Prince Edward – later Edward I – in 1268 during the Second Barons’ War. A windmill was present on the site by 1610, and by the middle of the century the castle mound was known as Mill Hill.
In the 21st century, the earthwork remains of Ely Castle form part of Cherry Hill Park, and are protected under UK law as a scheduled monument.
Architecture
Ely Castle is a motte-and-bailey design, of which only the earthworks survive. The motte is 250 ft in diameter at the base and 50 ft across at the top, and is now 40 ft high. The rectangular bailey to the south-east is approximately 300 by 250 ft; it has been considerably flattened for use as a playing field.
Bibliography
- Cambridgeshire County Council. (2015). The Historic Towns of Cambridgeshire: Extensive Urban Survey: Ely, East Cambridgeshire. Cambridge, UK: Cambridgeshire County Council.
- Miller, Edward. (1951). The Abbey & Bishopric of Ely: The Social History of an Ecclesiastical Estate from the Tenth Century to the Early Fourteenth Century. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Pounds, Nigel. (1994). The Medieval Castle in England and Wales: A Social and Political History. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Pugh, R.B. (ed) (1953). Victoria County History of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, Volume 4. London, UK: Victoria County History.
Attribution
The text of this page is licensed under under CC BY-NC 2.0.
Photographs on this page include those drawn from the Geograph website, as of 24 December 2018, and attributed and licensed as follows: “Cherry Hll Park, Ely“, author Chris Gunns, released under CC BY-SA 2.0.