Dunster Castle Part II

Here are some photos of the gorgeous inside of Dunster castle. The castle dates back to the de Mohuns family who, arrived soon after William the Conqueror became King of England in 1066. The castle started its life as a wooden structure. The only part remaining of the original castle is the 13th-century lower-level gateway with its massive iron-bound oak doors.

The castle was fortified by a stone curtain wall and bastion towers, one tower still remains today, albeit in a semi-ruined state as the wall was demolished by Oliver Cromwell’s men in 1650 at the end of the English Civil War.

the castle moved into the Luttrell family in 1376 and was redesigned as a family home then back to a castle again but more with regards to looks than as a defence strategy.

The family lost Dunster castle for ten years when the estate was liable for an enormous amount of death duty tax upon the death of Alexander. The size of the bill left his son Geoffrey gave him little option but to sell the castle and estate but he managed to earn enough over ten years to buy it back.

I loved the little story int he dining room about how when the maharaja visited Geoffrey Luttrell made a curry for all his guests he mate theirs super hot but had a milder version for himself. He thoroughly enjoyed seeing all his guests struggle while he ate his with ease.