Castle Batch

Castle Batch stands on a ridge above Worle in Somerset, overlooking the town of Weston-super-Mare. It was built as a motte by the Norman lord Walter of Douai sometime between 1066 and 1086. The mound rises three metres high and measures forty-two metres across, with a ditch up to ten metres wide. Archaeologist Stuart Prior suggests the mound may have been a ringwork due to a slight indentation in the centre. A possible bailey has been identified beside the motte, and the entrance was likely on the north side. The site passed to William De Courtney around 1200, then to John de Beauchamp by 1303. Today it forms part of local parkland and is protected as a scheduled monument. The motte’s earthworks remain clearly visible despite centuries of change. Its position once gave commanding views over the surrounding landscape. The estate’s ownership reflects the shifting power among Norman families in the region. Visitors find a grassy mound rising gently above the park. The surrounding ditch and ridge outline the motte’s original form. Interpretive signs explain the site’s history and archaeology. The parkland offers quiet walks with views towards Weston-super-Mare. The scheduled monument status ensures the earthworks are preserved for future generations. The site provides a tangible link to Somerset’s Norman past.