Newbury Castle

Newbury Castle was an adulterine castle built by John Marshal during The Anarchy. It stands west of Newbury in Berkshire, though its remains lie four miles away in Hamstead Marshall village. The site features three mottes, typical of medieval siege warfare tactics. John Marshal’s defiance of King Stephen is recorded in L'Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal. Stephen besieged the castle in 1152 and held Marshal’s young son as a hostage. The boy’s survival became legendary after Marshal’s bold reply about forging more sons. The castle’s story is tied to the coat of arms of Newbury town, where it appears despite being built elsewhere. Henry of Huntingdon described John Marshal as “that child of hell and root of all evil.” The conflict between Marshal and Stephen reflects the chaos of The Anarchy. The mottes in Hamstead Marshall remain as the only visible traces of the castle today. These earthworks offer a glimpse into medieval military engineering. Visitors to Hamstead Marshall find three large mounds marking the castle’s former sites. The landscape is quiet, with no grand ruins to inspect. The village itself is small, with few signs of its dramatic past. The mottes stand as silent witnesses to the siege and Marshal’s defiance. The contrast between the castle’s legend and its modest remains adds to its intrigue. The site invites reflection on medieval power struggles and the resilience of those who resisted them.