English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Sherborne Castle

Early-attested site in the Parish of Castleton

Historical Forms

  • Scireburnensis castri ecclesie 933 SherC(S423) 12
  • Ecclesiam Sancte Marie Magdalene iuxta castellum 1145 SherC 12
  • castelli de S(c)hireburn' 1193–1209 P
  • castrum de Shyreburn 1217 Pat
  • castrum regis de Shyreburn' 1258 Cl
  • Castrum Shirbornie 1454 Sher
  • The castelle of Shirburne 1535–43 Leland
  • the Castle of Sherborne 1614 Digby
  • Castle 1811 OS
  • turris de Schireburn' 1202 P
  • turrim castri de Shireburn' 1235 Cl
  • 4 great toures yn the castelle waulle, whereof one is the gate house 1535–43 Leland
  • la Arche in Orientali parte Castri 1427 Salis
  • circa fossata Castri 1427 ib
  • a great dike…a false mure without the dike 1535–43 Leland
  • (close called) the Castelldiches 1579 Russ
  • The Old Castle Ramparts 1845 TA
  • the castelle court 1535–43 Leland
  • The Castlegroundes 1614 Digby
  • Castle grounds 1617 Pitt
  • la Castelmull', le(s) Castelmull' 1427,1450 Salis
  • Castelmyll 1525 Salis
  • Lodge or Castle Mill now Scott's 1802 Map
  • Scott's (anciently called the Castle) Mill 1870 Hutch3
  • the Old Castle Green 1849 EnclA

Etymology

Various parts of the castle are recorded as follows: turris de Schireburn '1202 P, turrim castri de Shireburn '1235 Cl, 4 great toures yn the castelle waulle , whereof one is the gate house 1535–43 Leland; la Arche in Orientali parte Castri 1427Salis ; circa fossata Castri 1427ib , a great dikea false mure without the dike 1535–43 Leland, (close called ) the Castelldiches 1579Russ , The Castleditches 1614, the Castlewall 1677Digby , The Old Castle Ramparts 1845TA ; the castelle court 1535–43 Leland.

Also named from the castle are: The Castlegroundes 1614Digby , Castle grounds 1617Pitt ; la Castelmull ', le (s ) Castelmull '1427, 1450Salis , Castelmyll 1525Salis , duobus molend ' vocat ' Castelmylles 1538, A water grist mill and a Tucking mill called the Castle Mills 1677Digby , Lodge or Castle Mill now Scott 's 1802 Map, Scott 's (anciently called the Castle ) Mill 1870 Hutch3, v. myln; the Old Castle Green 1849EnclA ; and Castle Fm infra .

The present Sherborne Castle (also 6″) was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, on the site of a hunting lodge (cf. the logge 1535–43 Leland, Lodge 1569–74Map ), ¼ mile S of the old castle.