_Where to find Normans in Suffolk

The Norman Invasion of England in 1066 brought a flurry of castle building in Suffolk, a sure sign that somebody new was in charge. The Anglo Saxons were comprehensively subjugated.

Although the Anglo Saxons had given Suffolk its name, being the South Folk of the East Angles, it was Normans who formalised Suffolk as a shire, or county. There was a shire reeve, from which we take sheriff, who oversaw both Norfolk and Suffolk.

With the exception of Framlingham and Orford, only ruins of the castles remain, a reminder of a revolt by the barons during the time of Henry II. The King won, and the castles were demolished to a level where they couldn’t be used militarily.

So where can you take a step back in time a thousand years and discover Normans in Suffolk…

Orford Castle

The only castle in East Anglia specifically built by the Royal family, Orford Castle was constructed in the 12th century for Henry II and intended as a way to curtail the power-hungry barons of Norfolk and Suffolk who were constantly fomenting trouble, not least Hugh Bigod of nearby Framlingham Castle.

Orford Castle’s polygonal keep was built to a revolutionary design, and it remains in perfect condition today, managed by English Heritage.

Norman Tower, Bury St Edmunds

The Grade I listed Norman Tower, also known as St James’ Gate, in Bury St Edmunds, is one of the finest Norman structures in the region and one of only two surviving structures of the once-vast Abbey of Bury St Edmunds, the other being Abbey Gate.

The detached bell tower of St Edmundsbury Cathedral was constructed in the early 12th century as the Abbey gatehouse and as an unaltered Romanesque structure is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The planned grid of the town’s streets was laid out in the early 12th century and hinges on the axis of Churchgate Street, the abbey church and St. Edmund’s shrine.

Framlingham Castle

The first recording of Framlingham Castle is 1148, but the original motte and bailey construction was destroyed following the 1173–1174 revolt against Henry II. It’s believed Henry II had 21 castles destroyed in total.

The Bigods rebuilt the castle in the early 13th century, creating a unique design that lacked a central keep. By the later part of the century the castle was a luxurious residence surrounded by extensive parkland.

Now managed by English Heritage, the castle, which occupies a bluff overlooking the River Ore, has a wall-top walk with impressive views over the pretty market town, the significant earthworks and Mere. Note the tall Tudor chimneys which crown some of the towers, each one with a different brick design. 

The gate tower dates from the 12th century but was remodelled in the 16th century by Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, who added his coat of arms and decorative features.

Eye Castle

Motte and bailey Eye Castle was built shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066 but was sacked and largely destroyed in 1265 during the Second Barons’ War. The castle was built by William Malet, who was a close companion of William the Conqueror.

Eye Castle was one of only two recorded in the Domesday Book with its own source of income, a market inside the bailey.

Today its mound and some stone ruins remain. It is a Grade I listed scheduled monument.

Clare Castle

Clare Castle was a motte and bailey castle built around 1090 between the River Stour and Chilton Stream. Built by Norman lord Richard Fitz Gilbert on the site of an Anglo Saxon manor house, it was surrounded by three deer parks.

The de Clare family replaced the wooden structure with a stone keep in the 13th century. The castle fell into disuse and little remained by 1600 and the construction of the Great Eastern Railway destroyed much of the inner bailey. A victim of the Beeching Cuts, the Victorian railway buildings remain.

Parts of the round tower and wall fragments remain today at the top of the mound. It is a Grade II listed scheduled monument and today is the centrepiece of Clare Castle Country Park, with riverside walks, cycling paths, and a trail around what is Suffolk’s smallest town.

Bungay Castle

Bungay Castle was built by Roger Bigod around 1100 in a protected curve in the River Waveney.

Bigod’s son Hugh was on the losing side in the revolt of 1173–1174 against Henry II, and the castle was besieged, mined and partly demolished by royal forces to diminish its military capacity.

In 1294 Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk built twin gate towers but he fell out with Edward I and following his death the castle reverted to the Crown, falling into disrepair and ruin.

The gate towers, part of the keep and some of the curtain walls remain today.

Haughley Castle

Haughley Castle near Stowmarket was built in the late 11th century by Hugh de Montfort and remains one of the best-preserved Norman motte and bailey castles in England. The castle stands on the site of a Saxon manor hall owned by Guthmund, who died at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Edward II spent Christmas here in 1327, but the castle fell permanently out of use in the 16th century. It is privately owned and not generally open to the public, but you can easily view the castle moat and the motte.