The History and Origins of Dunster Castle
Dunster Castle occupies a commanding position atop the Tor, a steep hill in the village of Dunster, Somerset. The site has been fortified since the late Anglo-Saxon period, long before the stone structures seen today were conceived. Following the Norman Conquest, William de Mohun constructed a timber castle on this site. By the start of the 12th century, a stone shell keep had been built upon the motte. The fortification functioned as the caput of the Feudal barony of Dunster, a central seat of local authority and power.
The castle is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. This early documentation confirms the site's significance during the transition into the Norman era. Originally established as a motte and bailey castle, the site evolved through centuries of occupation and strategic necessity. The presence of the castle has shaped the landscape of the surrounding Somerset countryside for nearly a millennium.
The Luttrell family occupied the property from the end of the 14th century until the late 20th century. Their long tenure saw the site transition from a medieval stronghold into a country house. This continuity of residence defines the historical character of the estate, linking the ancient fortifications to the later domestic developments of the site.
The Architecture and Evolution of the Castle
The structure has undergone a profound transformation, evolving from a Norman fortress into a comfortable Victorian country house. In 1617, a large manor house was constructed within the Lower Ward, marking a significant shift in the site's purpose. This residence underwent extensive modernisation during the 1680s and the 1760s, adapting to the changing requirements of its inhabitants. However, the medieval castle walls were largely destroyed following the siege of Dunster Castle at the end of the First English Civil War, leaving the site's defensive history etched into its very fabric.
The current appearance of the building is the result of a Victorian restoration carried out in 1867–8 by Anthony Salvin for George Fownes Luttrell. This remodeling, which continued through the 1870s, sought to achieve a Gothic and Picturesque appearance. The work by Salvin fundamentally reshaped the silhouette of the castle, blending its historical layers into the cohesive residence seen today. The architecture reflects a deliberate attempt to marry the ruggedness of its medieval origins with the refined sensibilities of the nineteenth century.
The Luttrell Family and the National Trust
The continuity of the estate was significantly altered in 1747 when Henry Fownes Luttrell acquired the castle through his marriage to Margaret Fownes-Luttrell. This union linked the property to a lineage that would maintain its presence for centuries. By 1867, George Luttrell had inherited the estate and initiated a period of extensive modernisation, shaping the house into the residence seen today. The family's long tenure faced a sudden disruption following the death of Alexander Luttrell in 1944; the estate was sold to a property firm to settle death duties.
The connection between the family and the site was restored in 1954 when the Luttrells bought back the castle. This period of private ownership eventually transitioned into public stewardship when Colonel Walter Luttrell gave the castle and its contents to the National Trust in 1976. Today, the property remains a significant site within the National Trust's holdings, preserved as a country house that reflects the layered history of its inhabitants.
Masterpieces of the Castle Collection
The collection held within the castle offers a quiet encounter with the faces and lives of the families who shaped this estate. Portraits by John Vanderbank provide a sense of the lineage, including Sir John Trevelyan 2nd Bt (c.1670-1755) from 1726 and possibly Anne Stucley, Mrs Francis Luttrell (d. 1731), dated 1729. These works exist alongside the presence of an unknown man from 1676 by Mary Beale. There is a particular gravity in the portrait of Margaret Luttrell (1747–1792), Mrs John Henry Southcote, painted by Joshua Reynolds in 1769. Nearby, the likeness of possibly Francis Luttrell of Venn (1709-1732) from 1729 by Vanderbank offers another glimpse into the past.
Beyond the formal portraiture, the collection contains works that capture more transient or everyday subjects. Thomas Gainsborough’s 1787 depiction of The Woodcutters brings a sense of the landscape into the interior. Jean-Baptiste Greuze’s La cruche cassée, from 1849, provides a different tonal quality. The presence of Colonel Alexander Luttrell (1663–1711) (?) in a 1702 work by Michael Dahl completes a series of portraits that anchor the rooms in the history of the house.