Caister Castle, Castle Lane, West Caister, Norfolk
Caister Castle was built for Sir John Fastolf from 1432 to c1446. It was built by William Granour "Master of the new work". The last buildings were roofed and tiled in 1468, when it was owned by Sir John Paston. It is the only English example of a `Wasserburg', a water-ringed castle common in the Rhineland and Flanders. It was one of the first major brick built buildings in England. An inventory of 1470 shows that it had an unusual amount of artillery (weaponry), 20 pieces. The loops in the curtain wall are for handguns, while those of the tower were for bigger weapons. The castle endured a 6 week siege in 1469 before being taken by the Duke of Norfolk with a force of 3000 men and many guns. This was as part of a private war between the Duke of Norfolk and the Paston family.
