Constructed after the Norman conquest of England, it was located in the north-west corner of the town overlooking the River Test, initially as a wooden motte and bailey design.

By the late 12th century the royal castle had been largely converted to stone, playing an important part in the wine trade conducted through the Southampton docks.

By the end of the 13th century the castle was in decline, but the threat of French raids in the 1370s led Richard II to undertake extensive rebuilding.

[1] The royal castle was erected within the existing town on the site of a probable large English hall, and considerable damage was caused to the surrounding local buildings as space was opened up for the new fortification.

[6] At this time, Southampton was considered a key fortification, classed alongside other important castles such as the Tower of London, Windsor, Oxford, Lincoln and Winchester.

[8] Following the threat of French invasion in the 1170s, Henry II invested modest additional resources in the castle, and in 1187 the wooden keep was converted into a stone shell-keep.

[18] Henry Yevele and architect William Wynford rebuilt the keep from 1378 to 1382, whilst additional defences were added between 1383 and 1388, including a barbican and a protective mantlet wall.

[19] Thomas Tredynton was appointed to the castle as the chaplain, being paid an unusually high wage of £10 a year, reflecting his other skills as a military engineer.

[21] At this time cannon were still unreliable, only capable of reaching relatively short ranges and required the construction of specialist gunports; once again, the decision was driven by the fears of French attack.

[26] The castle played no role in the subsequent English Civil War, although some of the masonry was used to strengthen the town walls in 1650.

[24] A new road – Upper Bugle Street – was built through the old bailey site, and various local council buildings constructed.

[24] Development continued after the Second World War, in which large parts of the city around the castle were significantly damaged by bombing.