Farnham Castle

Farnham Castle in Surrey was founded in the 12th century by Henry de Blois, the Bishop of Winchester. The castle was built on a ridge of chalk at the northern end of the town of Farnham. The town originated as a Saxon settlement, but was greatly expanded in the 12th century, around the time Bishop Henry built the castle. Farnham Castle was originally a motte an bailey, with a square stone tower standing on top of an earthen mound (the motte), surrounded by an enclosure (the bailey) containing ancillary buildings. The tower which now stands was a 12th-century replacement of the previous tower which was destroyed by Henry II in 1155.