Waytemore Castle

Waytemore Castle stands in the market town of Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire as a ruined motte-and-bailey fortress. The large earthen mound rises above the valley floor and is surrounded by the remains of flint walls and foundations. A rectangular keep once crowned the motte, built in the 12th century and rebuilt by King John in 1214. The castle began as a wooden fortification in the 11th century and was later strengthened with stone. It was slighted after the Civil War and used as a prison in the 17th century. Historians debate whether the mound started as a Celtic barrow or a Saxon burh built by Edward the Elder. The name may come from Old Norse words meaning ‘forest clearing’ and ‘boggy place’. In 1208 King John demolished the castle after a dispute with the pope. The site includes a deep moat and a well covered by a steel plate near the summit. Visitors see the grassy motte and the foundations of the square tower. The remaining walls show the castle’s rectangular shape with a curved northern end. Excavations have uncovered human bones and Roman coins, suggesting a possible medieval hospital once stood nearby. The mound offers views over the town and the valley, marking a strategic river crossing. The ruins stand as silent reminders of Norman power and later conflicts.