# Hales Castle

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{{Short description|Medieval castle in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Military Structure
|name = Hales Castle
|location = [Somerset](/source/Somerset), England
|coordinates = {{coord|51.1971|-2.291|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|image = 225px
|caption = Earthworks of Hales Castle
|map_type = Somerset
|map_size = 200
|map_alt = 
|map_caption = Shown within [Somerset](/source/Somerset)
|type = [Motte and bailey](/source/Motte_and_bailey)
|materials = 
|height = 
|condition = Only earthworks remain
|ownership = 
|open_to_public = 
|battles = 
|events = 
}}
'''Hales Castle''' was a [medieval](/source/medieval) [castle](/source/castle) that once stood overlooking the town of [Frome](/source/Frome) in the [Mendip](/source/Mendip_District) district of [Somerset](/source/Somerset), England. It has been scheduled as an [ancient monument](/source/ancient_monument).<ref name=nhle/>

==History==
left|thumb|1911 plan of the ringwork
Hales Castle was built, probably in the years immediately after the [Norman conquest of England](/source/Norman_conquest_of_England) in 1066, overlooking the town of [Frome](/source/Frome) in the [Mendip](/source/Mendip_District) district of [Somerset](/source/Somerset), England.<ref>Prior, p.71.</ref> In addition to supporting the Norman control of the local town, it was also close to the [River Frome](/source/River_Frome%2C_Somerset) and the [Roman road](/source/Roman_road) running from [Poole Harbour](/source/Poole_Harbour) on to the town of [Bath](/source/Bath%2C_Somerset), both important lines of communication for the Normans.<ref>Prior, pp.84, 90.</ref>

The circular [ringwork](/source/ringwork) is {{convert|120|ft|m}} in diameter and stands on the northern slope of [Roddenbury Hill](/source/Roddenbury_Hill), close to the [Iron Age](/source/Iron_Age) [Roddenbury Hillfort](/source/Roddenbury_Hillfort). It comprises banks and outer ditches and has an unfinished [bailey](/source/bailey_(fortification)).<ref>{{PastScape|mname=Hales Castle|mnumber=202864|accessdate=22 July 2011}}</ref> It covers an area of {{convert|0.11|ha}} and the bank is between {{convert|0.3|m}} and {{convert|1.2|m}} high.<ref name=nhle>{{NHLE|desc=Hales Castle: a ringwork and associated earthworks on Coles Hill|num=1008805|accessdate=27 September 2016}}</ref> There may have been a [drawbridge](/source/drawbridge) at the entrance.

==See also==
*[Castles in Great Britain and Ireland](/source/Castles_in_Great_Britain_and_Ireland)
*[List of castles in England](/source/List_of_castles_in_England)
* [http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/English%20sites/3268.html Gatehouse] for overhead photo and more details

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*Prior, Stuart. (2006) ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=vuqjAAAACAAJ The Norman Art of War: a Few Well-Positioned Castles.]'' Stroud, UK: Tempus. {{ISBN|0-7524-3651-1}}.

Category:Castles in Somerset
Category:Scheduled monuments in Mendip District
Category:Frome

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hales Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hales_Castle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hales_Castle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.