8 Lost Castles of Cambridgeshire: How They Disappeared from the Map
Few buildings capture the imagination like castles. Whether intact or ruined, these majestic structures conjure up images of epic battles, medieval romance, and knights in shining armor.
CambridgeshireLive took a look at the lost castles of Cambridgeshire and their stories. Some of them can still be visited today, even if only parts of their walls or earthworks remain.
Castle Mound in Cambridge
As its name suggests, Cambridge Castle is now just a mound of earth with two signs explaining what it once was. Originally built after the Norman conquest in the 11th century, it was an impressive Motte and Bailey castle that played a role in several conflicts in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Unfortunately, the castle collapsed rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the last remaining bricks disappeared completely in the early 20th century. Although only a small hill remains that must have once been part of the fortress, Castle Hill is reportedly the highest point in the city.
Castle Hill in Ely
While Ely Cathedral is the most famous building in the city, the once-tiny town also boasted a castle—although its exact location is not entirely clear. It is believed to have been a mound near the cathedral, now called Cherry Hill.
It was a Motte and Bailey Castle, built in 1070 by William the Conqueror, just four years after his victory at the Battle of Hastings. However, it was not destined for a long and bright future.
The castle in Ely was destroyed in 1216, as evidenced by records in the documents. Any remaining fortifications were completely destroyed during the Second Baronial War in 1268, when the town was captured.
Huntingdon Castle
This is another mound of earth that you can easily walk past without even knowing what once stood here. Like the others on this list, Huntingdon Castle has been lost.
Although it no longer exists, Huntingdon Castle was once a Motte and Bailey castle. It was built in 1086 and had a tower with a gate and drawbridge. King Henry II laid siege to the castle for a month in the 12th century during a rebellion against him. Centuries later, the castle's position would be fortified during the English Civil Wars in the mid-17th century. But all these centuries of battles and sieges left the castle damaged and eventually dismantled when a railroad line was laid in the city in 1847.
Burwell Castle
The castle near the small village of Burwell has the dubious honor of never being completed. The planned fortification was built by King Stephen during the civil war known as the Anarchy in the 1140s.
However, in 1144, the site was attacked by the forces of the rebel Geoffrey de Mandeville, and the work was never completed—although de Mandeville did not live to see his victory, as he was wounded by a crossbow arrow during the battle and died shortly after. Today, only unfinished earthworks remain.
Kimbolton Castle
Technically, Kimbolton Castle still exists and bears the same name, but the original medieval castle has been transformed into a majestic palace that now houses Kimbolton School. Today it is considered a country house, despite its name.
Before it was transformed into a stately home, Kimbolton Castle was built in the late 12th century. It is perhaps best known for being the last home of King Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. She was moved here from Buckden Towers (also in Cambridgeshire) in 1534.
Swayze Castle Hill
Nine miles northwest of Cambridge, the small village of Swavesey was also once home to a proud medieval castle. It is believed to have been built of wood around 1070. When it was constructed, the castle stood on the edge of a marsh - at the time, it was the alleged hideout of Gereward Wake, a rebel who opposed the rule of William the Conqueror.
During this period, the village was a significant settlement and was very prosperous due to its connections to the Great Ouse, which facilitated trade. Despite the strength of the settlement, it is believed that the castle and its defenses were abandoned in the 15th century, and now only earthen fortifications remain.
Knapwell Castle
Although it has never been proven, it is believed that a castle once existed in the small village of Knapwell near Ely. To the northeast of All Saints' Church is a mound believed by some to be the remains of the medieval Motte and Bailey castle.
If it did exist, it is believed to have been a small fortification, possibly wooden, and another one built by King Stephen during the anarchy of the 12th century.
Rampton Castle
This mound in the village of Rampton, popularly known as Giant Hill, is the remains of the earthworks of an impressive medieval castle. It is believed that Rampton Castle was a Motte and Bailey castle, but like Burwell Castle, it was never completed.
Like Burwell, this castle was built by order of King Stephen during the Anarchy to protect a fortress in Cambridgeshire, and construction also stopped after the death of the rebel Geoffrey de Mandeville.