Feudal barony of Dunster National Trust and contributes his personal knowledge in helping to record the modern history of the Castle. Feudal barony of Dunster The feudal barony of Dunster was an English feudal barony with its "caput" at Dunster Castle in Somerset. During the reign of King Henry I (1100–1135) the barony (or "honour") comprised forty knight's fees and was later enlarged. In about 1150 the manors retained in demesne were Dunster, Minehead, Cutcombe, Kilton and Carhampton in Somerset, and Ham in Dorset. The historian the Duchess of Cleveland wrote as follows in her 1889 work "Battle Abbey Roll" concerning the origins of
Feudal barony of Dunster War he made Dunster Castle available for use as a convalescent home by the Royal Navy. On the death of his father in 1944 the payment of a large sum in Death Duties left the estate indebted and uneconomic to operate, and Geoffrey, whilst reserving a tenancy for himself at the Castle, sold the estates to a property development company which sold them on to the Commissioners of Crown Lands. He bought back the Castle and grounds in 1954 and opened them to the paying public. He died in 1957 and his widow remained at the Castle until her death