Hatch Court, Hatch Beauchamp
Has been described as a Rejected Timber Castle (Other/Unknown), and also as a Rejected Fortified Manor House
There are no visible remains
Name | Hatch Court, Hatch Beauchamp |
Alternative Names | Hach Beauchamp; Hache |
Historic Country | Somerset |
Modern Authority | Somerset |
1974 Authority | Somerset |
Civil Parish | Hatch Beauchamp |
John de Beauchamp had licence from the Crown to fortify his manor house at Hatch in 1333. He died two years later, perhaps without having finished the work, and on the death of his son in 1343 the value of the building was put at nothing. A visitor in 1633 found it so ruinous that were it not then called Hatch Court it would not have been recognised as a house of importance. But the hall of the house displayed the arms of the Beauchamp family and a chapel 'on the top of the house' included the arms of the successors, the Seymours, indicating in the later fifteenth century. The house seems to have stood north of the church. (Dunning 1995)
The mansion house in which theis noblemen lived which I went to see is soe ruined that were it not called Hach Court you would not believe yt it were any remaynes of a Barons house, yet I sawe in the Hall Beauchampes Armes ... (Gerard writing c. 1633)
Site of castle at Hatch Court Farm (Mike Aston 1977 pers corr. )
No earthworks or structures associated with the site were visible when the area was examined (Aston 1976)
The licence to crenellate was granted in 1334. (Somerset HER)
Not scheduled
Not Listed
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid Reference | ST306212 |
Latitude | 50.9860191345215 |
Longitude | -2.990070104599 |
Eastings | 330600 |
Northings | 121200 |