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© Mr Nigel Gallant LRPS

IoE Number: 402085
Location: CAISTER CASTLE, CASTLE LANE
  WEST CAISTER, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK
Photographer: Mr Nigel Gallant LRPS
Date Photographed: 27 August 2000
Date listed: 25 September 1962
Date of last amendment: 25 September 1962
Grade I

TG 51 SWWEST CAISTERCASTLE LANE5/48Caister Castle

TG 51 SW WEST CAISTER CASTLE LANE 5/48 Caister Castle 25.9.62 G.V. I Castle. Eastern, or outer court, late C14 or early C15. Western, or inner, court 1432-43 (when licence to fortify granted). Built for Sir John Fastolfe by William Granour "Master of the new work". Last buildings roofed and tiled 1468 when in possession of Sir John Paston. Brick with ashlar dressings. Full building accounts survive 1432-35. Both courts surrounded by moat with spur of moat separating them. Access by bridge from north into outer court and by bridge to west into inner court. Present entrance in west wall of inner court originally the water gate. Outer court of indeterminate brick bonding. East and south walls survive with 2 storey round towers at corners. At intervals splayed arrow slits, each with timber lintel to splay. Brick buttressing to exterior of walls. Inner court built in rough rectangle. North wall and west wall survive with, at junction, a 6 storey tower. Fragment of south wall remains at plinth or foundation level. Between this and west wall a square 2 storey tower. Solar tower. At north-west corner. 6 storeys. Circular exterior with polygonal stair turret rising above parapet on south side. Lower 4 storeys of stair turret elaborated into rectangular rooms lit through rectangular windows with ashlar dressings. Ground floor of this has 2-light Perpendicular window, blocked with brick. This is dais window and has remains of tierceron vault inside. At intervals main tower lit through rectangular ashlar windows. Machicolations to parapet, every fourth extending down wall to terminate in stepped corbelling. These are chimney flues. Stair turret also with machicolations. To east of tower a 4 storey rectangular block immediately behind north wall of hall providing access to each floor of hall and garderobes. Interior of solar tower. Interior is hexagonal, each storey increasing in width. Above fourth floor plan changes to circular. First to fourth floors have, in east facet, one 4-centred door to hall service block and all floors have, in south facet, a 4-centred door leading off staircase. One fireplace to each floor except top floor, each placed in a different facet. Fireplaces either square-headed or 4-centred, normally chamfered although that to ground floor has wave mouldings. Staircase of brick steps and moulded hand- rail cut into wall. Handrail bricks and steps above first floor removed. Access now by C20 timber winder stair. Top floor has been floored in timber C20 and roof concreted. No floors to remaining storeys. Hall. 3-4 storeys and gables. North gable wall remains with twin chimney flues at apex. Hall ran south from tower and lower 2 storeys formed Great Hall in 7 bays. Lit at first floor through 7 2-light rectangular windows under eaves of west wall. 2 windows now blocked. At north end was dais with Perpendicular window already mentioned, entrance doorway to tower (moulded, 4-centred and under square hood) and large ground floor fireplace now converted to pigeon nesting boxes, but eschewed by pigeons. Above dais one or perhaps 2 storey private chamber (Sir John Fastolfe's Domo Superiori) entered through 4-centred doorway in north wall and with a further fireplace. This chamber could only be entered via second floor of solar tower. South gable wall and east walls of hall now gone. North wall of inner court runs east from north gable of hall. 2 storeys crumbling down to ground after a while. Set-off above arcade of brick relieving arches which may indicate presence of cellars. Under eaves are 2 splayed rectangular windows remaining. Exterior of this wall also with set- off and 2 square-headed windows above water level. Stepped corbel table supports arcade under eaves, probably with machicolatary function. West wall. Runs south from solar tower to watergate and is common with east wall of hall; windows already described. At eaves level deeply stepped corbel table reminiscent of inverted pyramids. Watergate. 2 storeys. 4-centred arch right of centre within square surround. To left is guard room lit through one blocked rectangular window to west and smaller one in narrow north return. Ashlar drip course below first floor. 4-centred arched window opening over entrance with hood mould on labels. Further small window to north return. Pyramidal corbelling at eaves identical to west wall. South return of watergate ruinous. Wall continues south to storey rectangular corner tower, the wall now reduced to one storey. Corner tower has drip course to first floor and corbel table of grotesques, apparently re-used ecclesiastical work. Ashlar quoins, as has watergate. Interior of this tower is circular. Small rectangular windows to south and 4-centred entrance arch from court.