Castle Hill

Castle Hill had a castle on its summit, built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall in 1253. Richard, the younger son of King John, was given the Manor of Mere by his brother, King Henry III, in 1243. Much of the land in and around Mere is still owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. The castle was never used in war and was more of a manorial headquarters. It served as a lodging for the Earls (later, Dukes) of Cornwall on their journeys to the west country. The castle probably became a ruin in the 15th century.