We drove around today visiting Poundbury, a town created by Prince Charles. More of that later. On our return we passed by Castle Carey and visited the museum
The visit to Castle Cary Museum provided a lively introduction to the history and character of the town, from prehistoric times through to the present day. The museum itself is deliberately traditional — more a “cabinet of curiosities” than a modern, highly organised display — something that gives it considerable charm.
Castle Cary has a surprisingly substantial history for a town of only about 4,000 people. Its origins stretch back to the Stone and Bronze Ages, while Roman remains have been found nearby. The Norman period was particularly important. A large motte-and-bailey castle with an unusually substantial keep was built to control the surrounding Somerset Levels. Although the castle has disappeared, archaeological evidence has allowed its appearance to be reconstructed.
The castle was originally associated with Walter of Douai, one of William the Conqueror’s followers. His descendants remained lords of the manor through much of the medieval period. The Zouche family later lost the manor after supporting Richard III at Bosworth. The manor itself survived in diminishing form until the 1920s.
Wool, textiles and horsehair
Textiles were central to Castle Cary’s prosperity. In medieval England, wool was so valuable that it was regarded as “white gold.” During the nineteenth century, entrepreneurs — including several Scots — helped transform the local textile trade from cottage production into an industrial business.
One remarkable survivor is Castle Cary’s horsehair factory. It still operates using machinery installed in 1870. Horsehair produced an exceptionally durable fabric and was once used for railway carriage seats. Today it survives as a specialist material for decorative fabrics, furniture and other luxury products.
Among the museum’s other treasures is an extraordinarily detailed map of the manor dating from about 1685, apparently produced when the estate was being sold. It records the fields and the people associated with them. There is also a hoard of coins probably buried during the Civil War and the keys to the town lock-up, where minor offenders — including drunks — could find themselves incarcerated.
The people behind the history
The museum celebrates several “Cary Worthies.” Perhaps the most important is Douglas Macmillan, founder of what became Macmillan Cancer Support. His father managed a local textile factory, and Douglas grew up in Castle Cary. After seeing the inadequate care his father received when dying of cancer, he founded his charity in 1911.
The conversation also revealed something about Castle Cary today. The museum representative estimated that there is still a substantial core of “old Cary”, although perhaps half the population now consists of newcomers, including people who have moved down from London. Despite this change, the centre retains the appearance and atmosphere of an old Somerset town.
There is a reasonably active community and some cultural activity, although the museum representative felt that Castle Cary does not have the conspicuous cultural life of nearby Bruton. He also remarked on the modern difficulty of persuading people to read — an important consideration when discussing whether a new book about the town would find an audience.
Perhaps the strongest argument for such a book came earlier in the conversation. The museum has factual historical material, including the Victoria County History, but apparently lacks an accessible general history that gives the reader a real sense of the place. Brian’s proposed approach — recording how individuals experience the town today and creating a kind of “living diary” — would therefore be quite different from the histories already available.
In essence: Castle Cary is small but historically exceptionally rich: Norman castle, medieval wool wealth, nineteenth-century industry, the extraordinary surviving horsehair factory, notable local personalities and a continuing mixture of old families and newcomers. The museum conversation suggests that the most interesting book would probably not be another conventional history, but a portrait of Castle Cary through its present-day people, with its remarkable past providing the backdrop.
