News / Castle Park
Damp latest enemy for last overground remains of Bristol Castle
It’s one of the oldest buildings in Bristol, once part of a fortified castle complex on the site of what is now a city centre park.
The first motte and bailey castle was built in the 11th century, with its replacement built around 1135 with a keep whose walls were 25ft thick.
It was one of the largest castles in England but was not just built for defensive purposes, with a great hall which would have once hosted lavish celebrations.
is needed now More than ever
The entrance to the great hall is today the Vaulted Chambers Cafe, the only intact piece of Bristol Castle above ground.
Over the centuries, the building has survived everything from sieges to Civil War to German bombs. Its latest foe is more prosaic: damp.
The vaulted chambers are a Scheduled Ancient Monument and an amazing survivor – photo: Martin Booth
Incorporated into a house on the corner of Tower Street and Castle Street in the 1660s, it was a Boots shop in the 1930s and was briefly a cafe in the early 1980s.
It reopened as a cafe run by Bristol City Council in 2021, with all profits used to help fund the cost of maintaining Bristol’s parks and green spaces.
Scaffolding has recently been erected on the Vaulted Chambers which caused the cafe to be closed for a couple of days.
In a statement, a Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “Investigative works related to damp are currently being carried out, to identify the cause. It’s too early to give any detail on what our role in the works will be.”
To discover more about Bristol Castle, Castle Park and the Old City, join a walking tour on Saturday or Sunday mornings with Bristol24/7 Editor Martin Booth. To find out more and to book, visit www.yuup.co/experiences/explore-bristol-s-quirkiest-corners
Castle Park View tower now looms over the Vaulted Chambers – photo: Martin Booth
Main photo: Martin Booth
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