Portchester, The Castle 1898
Photo ref: 42708
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Photo ref: 42708
Photo of Portchester, The Castle 1898

More about this scene

The original Norman fort at Porchester was merely a corner of the old 3rd-century Roman Saxon Shore fort defended on the two open sides by the building of a wooden palisade. It was after the rebellion against Henry I by his elder brother Robert Curthose that the decision was taken to build a castle proper. The tower keep, which when built was only one storey high, has walls twelve feet thick, and when two further floors were added it was similar to those at Falaise, Norwich and Corfe. Excavations in the areas of the great hall and lodgings have revealed bones of animals and birds used for food. The finds did not include bones from parts of the body which were not edible, which leads archaeologists to believe that food preparation took place elsewhere.

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Memories of Portchester, the Castle 1898

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. These memories are of Portchester, The Castle 1898

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When I moved with my family from North Boarhunt we came here to Portchester.  Little was I to know, but I would be getting married in the beautiful church in the castle grounds.  It was a lovely setting, with the lych gate and castle as a back drop.  My husband-to-be had been in the choir a few years before and so when we came out married, the choir held up their prayer books to make an arch.  I have moved on since then and now live in Southampton but Portchester is still in my heart.