Eye Castle
11th–13th Centuries
Eye Castle is a motte and bailey castle, built during the reign of William I by William Malet, who died fighting Hereward the Wake in 1071. The Malet family also controlled the surrounding Honour of Eye, a significant collection of estates centring on the castle, and the park of Eye. The castle motte is 160 feet (49 m) in diameter and 40 feet (12 m) high, with the bailey approximately 400 by 250 feet (122 by 76 m) wide. The castle is unusual in being one of only two castles mentioned in the Domesday Book on 1086 as a source of income for their owners, due to the presence of a market within the castle bailey, from which the owner drew revenue; the castle's market competed with the Bishop of Norwich's market at Hoxne.
14th-21st Centuries
By the 14th century, Eye Castle lay largely in ruins, although parts of the castle continued to be maintained as a prison. Despite the ruined nature of the castle, the local estates previously subject to the castle-guard system continued to return their dues, now converted into monetary rents, to the owners of Eye Castle for many years. A windmill was built on top of the motte between 1561 and 1562. In the early 17th century, like many other medieval Suffolk parks, the park of Eye around the castle was broken up and turned into fields.
In the 1830s a workhouse and a school were built inside the castle bailey. In 1844 the owner, Sir Edward Kerrison, demolished a later windmill that had been built on the motte, and replaced it with a domestic house. Kerrison had the dwelling built for his batman, who had saved his life at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The house resembled a shell keep, and was built of flint and had living quarters built into the walls on the south and west. The building fell into ruins, being damaged in high winds during 1965 and collapsing further that year. It is now sometimes referred to as Kerrison's Folly. The mound and some stone fragments of the original castle still remain intact, and the site is a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building. Historically the Lord of the Manor of Eye Sokemere is Constable of the Castle, this title resides with the Palmer Family of Haughley.
To Log This Cache...
Please be aware that the castle is open every day from Easter to the end of October, and at weekends outside of this time.
This cache can be logged in one of two ways (you only need do one, unless you want to do both!):
1. If you are able to...
...climb to the top of the motte and go inside the castle. In front of you is an information board. Who's folly? Now climb to the top of the wooden platform. Take a photo either of yourself, or your caching name on a piece of paper with the church in the background. It is not necessary to show your face!
or
2. If the castle grounds are closed, or you are unable to climb the motte...
...make for the black gates at the entrance to the castle gounds. To the right of the gates as you look at the castle is a metal plaque. What is buried near this spot? Take a photo either of yourself, or your caching name on a piece of paper with the castle in the background. It is not necessary to show your face!
Then... Send your answer and photo via email or the message centre. Please feel free to add your photo to your log also.
Virtual Rewards 5.0 - 2026-2027
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between February 3, 2026 and February 3, 2027. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 5.0 on the Geocaching Blog.