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the Castle of Our City Pictured: Part of the castle Rougemont - The castle of our city Tucked away in the gardens of Rougemont and Northernhay lies a castle with an interesting history and a beautiful view, as STEPHEN ROBERTS discovers 24 exeterlife exeter.greatbritishlife.co.uk HERITAGE he last time my wife and I stayed in Exeter, we were strategically placed in a hotel near Exeter Central Station, overlooked by the picturesque Tgardens that contain Rougemont Castle, so called because of the red sandstone from which it was constructed. On our final day in the city, we followed breakfast and a walk to get a paper with an exploration of the gardens. We were rewarded with lots of unexpected treasures, from the simple delights of spring flowers coming up, to spectacular views over the city and fascinating ruins. Rougemont Castle, just to confuse, is also known as Exeter Castle. There was a Roman fort here apparently, which the British called ‘Caer Wisc’, and there was Above: The last convicted ‘witches’ in England were tried at Rougemont before being hanged in Heavitree also a Saxon castle, sacked by the ever-turbulent Danes, but what we see and swarmed through the city. to the interior of the castle. Until then the today is positively Norman. Built into the The city and its castle did not play a castle had remained Exeter’s most closely highest northern corner of the Roman city major part in the English Civil War. The guarded secret. walls, its construction in around 1068 was Parliamentarians authorised a spend of Today the main feature that remains of in response to a local rebellion against £300 to fortify the city and repair the the castle is the large early Norman William the Conqueror. castle. In spite of this, the city still fell to gatehouse, which contains Anglo-Saxon Exeter Castle was of the ‘enclosure’ type, the Royalists in 1643 and then in turn to features, suggesting that Anglo-Saxon rather than the motte-and-bailey variety, the Parliamentarians three years later. masons were employed in its building. which were usually surmounted with The gatehouse was in use as a prison There is a plaque on the gatehouse timber structures in the first instance. during part of the war. recording that “this gatehouse was built by Enclosure castles, by contrast, feature Devon’s County Court was located here William the Conqueror soon after 1066 as some of the earliest stone fortifications as a from the early 17th century, and the four part of the Norman Castle of Rougemont”. ‘primary’ feature, hence the single Devon witches were tried in this spot in the The castle is a scheduled monument, with gatehouse at Exeter can be dated from the 1680s - the last people in England to be its leading structures enjoying listed status. castle’s foundation in 1068. Being in a Rougemont Gardens include both the former Roman site, the castle also made Four Devon witches were Roman city wall and bank and the bank use of the old Roman walls, which formed tried in this spot in the and ditches belonging to the Norman the lower part of the Norman walls that castle. John Patch, a surgeon at the Royal were built up on top of them. 1680s - the last people in Devon and Exeter Hospital, built The castle would see ‘action’ of its own, England to be executed for Rougemont House in 1769 on the site of beginning almost immediately, as there is part of the castle’s former moat and evidence that it was attacked before it had witchcraft defences, the house being eventually even been completed. Further strife executed for witchcraft - at Heavitree. A purchased by Exeter City Council just followed during the 12th century civil war plaque on the castle wall by the gatehouse before WWI. between Stephen and Matilda when it was commemorates this tragic event. When the neighbouring Northernhay held for three weeks against the forces of The three Bideford ‘witches’ all arrived House was demolished just after this, the King Stephen. The castle was defended in Exeter in July 1682, but had to wait over gardens of Rougemont House were joined stoutly, only having to be surrendered a month for their trial, until the justices to those of Northernhay Gardens to give us when the water supply ran out. had arrived in the city. It seems that at a the extensive gem that we can enjoy today Richard III paid a visit here in November time of superstition and prejudice, the in the heart of Exeter. Northernhay 1483 when he was steeling himself for a authorities believed that the three women Gardens are of outstanding historical landing somewhere on the south coast by had to die, otherwise there could be a local significance in their own right, containing a his ultimate nemesis Henry, Earl of insurrection. This influenced both their good stretch of Roman wall, as well as the Richmond, soon to become Henry VII convictions on 19 August and the absence only length of Saxon town wall to be seen (Tudor). In the event the rebellion fell apart of any clemency. They were all hanged on anywhere in England. and the landing never occurred. Richard 25 August. We congratulated ourselves when we left remained in Exeter for about a week, The castle’s appearance changed Exeter on having booked a hotel so close to commending the castle for both its significantly in the late 18th century when these gardens, which had made it so easy situation and strength before resuming all of the buildings inside the walls were to venture out and explore them - progress towards London. demolished to make way for a new something we might not otherwise have The castle was reputedly badly damaged courthouse, leaving only the walls and done. They are a perfect mix of park and during the Cornish Rebellions of 1497 gatehouse. It was only when the history, affording the opportunity to enjoy against the same Henry Tudor, when some courthouse function moved to a new site, a delightful walk, whilst also learning more 6,000 Cornishmen came across the border in 2004 that the public was granted access of the fascinating history of this city. n exeter.greatbritishlife.co.uk exeterlife 25.
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