The village of Nunney is a short drive from Frome.
As well as the ruins of Nunney Castle, this village hosts an historic church and many fine old buildings. From the medieval period, Nunney for many years was home to a number of water-powered mills, at one time owned by James Fussell, who operated ironworks near Mells.
Make sure you visit the Church of All Saints (12th century), wander alongside the stream that intersects the village (complete with resident ducks) and view the many listed buildings, including Rockfield House (built by John Pinch in 1805).
The George Inn, dating from the 18th century, makes a perfect lunch stop.
In 1373 the knight Sir John Delamare returned from the Hundred Years War with a considerable fortune earned while serving overseas. With a romantic vision of the French castles he had seen, Delamare received royal approval from Edward III to develop a castle on the site of his unfortified manor house.
The castle was modernised in the late 16th century by Richard Prater, a rich Londoner who had bought the castle sometime after 1560. It remained in the possession of the Prater family until the Civil War, when it was besieged by the Parliamentary Army, led by Lord Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.
On 18 September 1645, as Prater and the many refugees inside refused to surrender, the cannons breached the castle walls.
Despite the breach, the castle remained in a reasonable condition until the early 20th century, when one of the walls collapsed. Today, the impressive ruins provide a direct link back through history to a knight and his dreams of grandeur.