Bollitree Castle

Bollitree Castle
A section of the mock castle walls which give Bollitree its name
Type	Country house
Location	Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire
Coordinates	51°54′49″N 2°31′46″W / 51.9136°N 2.5295°W / 51.9136; -2.5295
Built	18th century with earlier origins
Architectural style(s)	Mock castle
Governing body	Privately owned
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name	Barn on west side of farmyard and curtain wall enclosing yard at Bollitree Castle
Designated	18 May 1953
Reference no.	1296781
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name	Bollitree Castle Farmhouse
Designated	18 May 1953
Reference no.	1099638
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name	Building extending to west at south-west corner of farmyard at Bollitree Castle
Designated	17 March 1987
Reference no.	1099639
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name	Barn on south side of farmyard at Bollitree Castle Farmhouse with arcaded farm building adjoining to south
Designated	18 May 1953
Reference no.	1167693
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name	Dovecote 50 metres south of Bollitree Castle Farmhouse
Designated	17 March 1987
Reference no.	1099640
Location of Bollitree Castle in Herefordshire

Bollitree Castle is an historic site on the edge of the village of Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire, England. The site consists of Bollitree Castle farmhouse, two barns, a dovecote, a gate, and a series of mock castellated curtain walls from which the site takes its name. Bollitree Castle Farmhouse is a Grade II* listed building, one of the barns, which contains genuine medieval fragments, is listed at the highest grade, Grade I, while the other structures have their own Grade II listings.

There is architecture evidence of habitation at Bollitree Castle from medieval times.^[1] In the 15th century, the estate was owned by the Merryk family,^[a] of whom the most notable member was Richard Amerike (c. 1440–1503), a Bristol-based merchant whose name has been suggested as the origin of America although this is disputed.^[2] The castle farmhouse dates from c.1700.^[3] Later in the 18th century, the major transformation of the farmhouse and the wider site was undertaken. Local tradition suggests this was carried out by a Thomas Merrick, in pursuit of a Spanish woman whom he wanted to marry and who had indicated that she wished to live in a castle, but there is little documentary evidence for this.^[4][5] Historic England records the sham castle fortifications, but posits no suggestion as to their builder's motivations.^[6]

Bollitree is owned by Richard Hammond, the television presenter, who bought the castle in 2012.^[b][11][12] In 2023, redevelopment plans submitted by Hammond were turned down by Herefordshire County Council following objections from the Georgian Group.^[13]

The main barn at Bollitree, with the bulk of the castellated curtain walls, contains some genuine medieval fragments, and is listed at Grade I.^[1] The farmhouse, which forms the main residence on the site, is listed at Grade II*.^[3] Another ancillary agricultural building,^[14] a further barn,^[15] a dovecote,^[16] and a gate in a garden wall are listed at Grade II.^[17]

• 
  Mock castellated curtain walls and a fake moat
• 
  Corner tower
• 
  Curtain wall

• Brooks, Alan; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2012). Herefordshire. The Buildings of England. New Haven, US and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-12575-7. OCLC 759174126.