Caister Castle

Caister Castle stands five kilometres north of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, a 15th-century moated fortress built between 1432 and 1446 by Sir John Fastolf. The castle once had a hundred-foot tower, but only the tower survives today after sieges, disputes and centuries of change. Sir John Fastolf intended the castle to become a chantry for prayers, yet legal battles led it to the Paston family instead. The Pastons appear often in the Paston Letters, a famous collection of 15th-century correspondence about power and inheritance. The castle’s defence in 1469 against the Duke of Norfolk lasted two months before falling, marking a turning point in local history. The intact tower can still be climbed, offering views across the surrounding landscape. Below, the grounds include a private motor museum filled with veteran cars, motorcycles and even horse-drawn carriages. The museum began in the 1960s and displays everything from early bicycles to agricultural equipment in a single building. Visitors walk through the castle’s history while also exploring this unusual collection of transport. The site blends medieval stonework with later additions, showing how the castle’s purpose changed over time. Beyond the tower and museum, the grounds feature a lake formed from an old moat that was widened in the 19th century. The inner moat itself was filled in between 1842 and 1893, altering the castle’s defences. Nearby, a mural monument in Holy Trinity Church remembers William Crow, who once owned the castle in the 17th century. The Bedingfield family later inherited it, but neglect and stone robbing left their mark before restoration began. Today the castle remains a quiet witness to Norfolk’s past, its tower rising above grass and water.