Peterborough Castle

Peterborough Castle, also called Mount Thorold and Touthill, was a medieval motte and bailey castle in the City of Peterborough. It stood close to the cathedral, in what is now the Dean’s garden. The castle was built by Abbot Thorold, a Norman appointed by William the Conqueror. Thorold constructed it to protect himself from the monks during the unsettled years after the Conquest. The motte and bailey design was typical of Norman fortifications of the time. The castle’s life was short. By the 12th century, Abbot Martin de Bec had it destroyed. Only the motte remains today, rising between ten and twelve metres high. The surviving mound has scheduled monument status, recognising its national importance. The site offers a rare glimpse of Norman power struggles in a cathedral city. Visitors find a quiet grassy mound in the Dean’s garden. The motte is the last trace of the castle, surrounded by cathedral grounds. From the top, views stretch over Peterborough’s rooftops and the cathedral spires. The garden itself is a peaceful place, far from the busy streets nearby. The motte stands as a quiet reminder of a once-turbulent past.