}
Bristol Castle was the focus of civil war during the reign of King Stephen (1135-1154). It was used as a stronghold for those who felt that Stephen had improperly claimed the throne on the death of King Henry I in 1135. Henry had designated his daughter, Matilda, as the rightful heir to the throne, but her cousin, Stephen, rallied support from those who didn't want a woman to rule over them.
Matilda gathered her forces and was joined by her half-brother Robert Fitzroy, Earl of Gloucester and owner of Bristol Castle, which was used as a base for their supporters. Earl Robert was in France when the revolt started but his castle was used as a base from which to carry out raids so the King and his army marched on Bristol to put a stop to it.
Stephen called a council of war to discuss how to take the Castle with his barons. They discussed damming the rivers with
"a huge mass of rocks, beams, and turves at the point where the approach to the town narrowed."
This would mean that the castle could no longer be supplied by water. They also discussed building fortifications around the town to stop supplies coming in and starve the castle garrison out. Unfortunately for Stephen, Robert had rebuilt the original Norman castle with a powerful stone keep. In some places the walls were over seven metres thick, and on three sides it was protected by the Rivers Avon and Frome which formed a natural moat. Stephen was advised it was impregnable and instead of besieging it decided to withdraw.
The country was soon subject to open civil war. Stephen was captured in Lincoln in 1141 and imprisoned in Bristol Castle but sometime later his supporters captured Robert and negotiated a complicated prisoner-swap. A Church council held in Winchester proclaimed Matilda 'Lady of the English', and although she was never crowned, she did live to see her son become King Henry II.
Bristol's Impregnable Fortress
Bristol Castle was the focus of civil war during the reign of King Stephen (1135-1154). It was used as a stronghold for those who felt that Stephen had improperly claimed the throne on the death of King Henry I in 1135. Henry had designated his daughter, Matilda, as the rightful heir to the throne, but her cousin, Stephen, rallied support from those who didn't want a woman to rule over them.
Matilda gathered her forces and was joined by her half-brother Robert Fitzroy, Earl of Gloucester and owner of Bristol Castle, which was used as a base for their supporters. Earl Robert was in France when the revolt started but his castle was used as a base from which to carry out raids so the King and his army marched on Bristol to put a stop to it.
Stephen called a council of war to discuss how to take the Castle with his barons. They discussed damming the rivers with
"a huge mass of rocks, beams, and turves at the point where the approach to the town narrowed."
This would mean that the castle could no longer be supplied by water. They also discussed building fortifications around the town to stop supplies coming in and starve the castle garrison out. Unfortunately for Stephen, Robert had rebuilt the original Norman castle with a powerful stone keep. In some places the walls were over seven metres thick, and on three sides it was protected by the Rivers Avon and Frome which formed a natural moat. Stephen was advised it was impregnable and instead of besieging it decided to withdraw.
The country was soon subject to open civil war. Stephen was captured in Lincoln in 1141 and imprisoned in Bristol Castle but sometime later his supporters captured Robert and negotiated a complicated prisoner-swap. A Church council held in Winchester proclaimed Matilda 'Lady of the English', and although she was never crowned, she did live to see her son become King Henry II.