Nunney Castle is a medieval castle at Nunney in the English county of Somerset. Built in the late 14th century by Sir John Delamare on the profits of his involvement in the Hundred Years War, the moated castle’s architectural style, possibly influenced by the design of French castles, has provoked considerable academic debate. Remodelled during the late 16th century, Nunney Castle was damaged during the English Civil War and is now ruined.
English Heritage maintains the site as a tourist attraction. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner has described Nunney as “aesthetically the most impressive castle in Somerset.”[1]
Nunney Castle was built near the village of Nunney in Somerset by Sir John Delamare.[2] Delamare had been a soldier during the Hundred Years War with France, where he had made his fortune.[3][nb 1] He obtained a licence to crenellate from Edward III to build a castle on the site of his existing, unfortified manor house in 1373 and set about developing a new, substantial fortification.[2][5]