Horsford Castle

Horsford Castle stands on a low motte and bailey in a field east of Horsford village, six miles north of Norwich. The site was once a heathland park created by Walter de Caen after the Norman conquest. Walter built the castle to show his control over the pasturelands. His son Robert became Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in the 12th century. After a robbery and imprisonment during a pilgrimage, Robert founded the nearby monastery of St Faith’s. The castle was abandoned by the middle of the 15th century. Only the earthworks remain today as a scheduled monument. The motte measures 77 metres by 85 metres and is about 2.3 metres high. A single bailey extends 72 metres by 32 metres beside it. The remains are quiet and unmarked, with no modern structures on the site. Visitors find a simple grassy mound and hollow surrounded by farmland. The field shows no signs of the former buildings or park. From the motte there are wide views over the flat countryside. The place feels remote, with only the wind and occasional birds breaking the silence. It is a small but clear reminder of Norman power and later neglect.