Sherborne Old Castle

We took our friend Chris down to Sherborne today for a tour of the New Castle (built in the late 16th century by Sir Walter Raleigh) and the grounds (designed much later by Capability Brown.

Raleigh acquired the Old Castle, with the help of Elizabeth, and tried to renovate it but, finding it too difficult, decided to build a new castle on the site of the old hunting lodge.

When Raleigh was accused of involvement in a plot against James 1, the castle was confiscated and given to the Digby family, a favourite of the King. It’s been in their hands ever since.

This view of the now ruined Old Castle was taken from the corridor outside what was Raleigh’s bedroom in the new one.