Denham Castle

Denham Castle stands on a low man-made mound in the Suffolk countryside near the village of Gazeley. It is a motte and bailey castle built in the 12th century by Norman lords soon after the Conquest. The motte rises only ten feet above the surrounding ditch, which measures 132 metres by 122 metres. The entrance once faced south into the defended courtyard or bailey. The site was originally called Desning Castle and later Denham Castle, also known locally as Castle Holes. The castle reached its greatest importance during the civil wars after Stephen of Blois took the throne in 1135. Stephen later adopted Matilda’s son Henry as heir, but when Henry II succeeded in 1154 he ordered many Suffolk castles dismantled. Denham Castle was slighted, though its hall and buildings in the bailey remained. By the 14th century the Black Death forced the owners to leave, moving a mile west to Desning Hall, which was demolished in the 1980s. Today the earthworks form a scheduled monument, and the Denham Estate works with English Heritage to protect what remains. Visitors find a quiet grassy mound surrounded by a wide, shallow ditch. The motte and bailey outline is still clear, with the southern entrance gap visible. The flat bailey area once held timber halls and service buildings. The site lies in farmland, giving long views across open fields. There are no standing walls, but the earthworks tell the story of a once important stronghold. The restoration work ensures the castle’s shape will remain for future generations.