The site of Dunster Castle has been occupied for over a thousand years. Of the Norman Castle, sited on what is now the Keep, no trace remains except for the 13th century gatehouse.
The present building was built in 1617 by William Arnold, and has been witness to many changes over the years. The castle was refurbished in the 1680s by Colonel Francis Luttrell who installed many fine plasterwork ceilings and a magnificent carved staircase.
The castle was largely remodelled in the Victorian period by Antony Salvin who gave the castle its present appearance by adding two great towers with turrets and battlements.
The castle and park were given over to the National Trust in 1976 by Lieutenant Colonel Walter Luttrell whose ancestors had been at Dunster for 600 years. |
Address:
Dunster
nr Minehead
Somerset
TA24 6SL
Click here for more colour, opening dates, admission prices and full contact information. |