The Castle

Of the six castles built by Henry de Blois, Merdon is the only one not attached to a town or village. Possibly the shrewd prelate valued its position as a convenient and strategic place of retreat for a person and treasury in those turbulent times, yet a place not worth the price of siege or assault for its value as a castle and thus unlikely to be attacked. Its occupants would have safe shelter until the turmoil ceased or, at worst, if the castle should be taken, they could escape to safety along any of the many back routes available. Local folklore tells of tunnels leading out of the castle.

After the Stephen-Matilda wars had ended and Bishop de Blois had retired to France, King Henry II ordered the Sheriff of Hampshire to ‘slight’ the castle. This meant that the castle’s armaments were removed and its defensive capacity reduced by demolition of part of its fabric; on this the Sheriff spent £6 12s 0d. For the next 800 years the castle served as one of the Bishop of Winchester’s many palaces.

During this time it was more than just a residence; many services and functions for civil and church purposes took place within its walls. In 1273, Bishop Nicholas of Ely performed the ceremony of reinstating the Prior of St. Swithun at Merdon. In 1341 Bishop Adam bestowed the office of Parker (0r Warrener) on Giles de Mansynton.