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Sherborne Castle was built in 1594 by Sir Walter Raleigh who called it Sherborne Lodge to distinguish it from the Old Castle. A former favourite of Elizabeth I, he was disliked by her successor James I, and after being accused of treason, he was imprisoned, his estates forfeited to the crown, and finally in 1618, he was executed. The new owner of Sherborne Castle was Sir John Digby who set about adding four additional wings with their distinctive hexagonal towers in the 1620s. Further alterations took place in the C17 and C18, and then a major restoration in 1859-60. It continues to this day to remain in the hands of the descendants of the original Digby family (now Wingfield-Digby), and is a fine Grade I Listed country house open to the public.