This castle was built, on a site now known as Folly Hill, by Robert, Earl of Gloucester in 1144 in support of Matilda in the Anarchy. The "Gesta Stephani", a contemporary chronicle, recorded the founding of the castle and the earl's activities, noting that it was "strongly fortified by a rampart and stockade, and putting in it a garrison that was the flower of his whole army he valorously restrained the wonted attacks from the king's soldiers, who had been coming out of Oxford and other castles round about to harass his own side". A few weeks after Faringdon Castle was built it was besieged by Stephen and after four days the castellan, Brian De Soulis, surrendered. The castle was destroyed within a year or two.