Down Ampney was notable in medieval times as one of the principal seats of the powerful Hungerford family (their principal seat was at Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset) and a number of elaborate family monuments survive in the village church.
After the discovery of the Rye House Plot in 1683, the castle was raided by the government and weapons were seized.
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In 2010 it was converted to be used as the offices and training centre of Bath Rugby.
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In the early 15th century, his son, Sir Walter Hungerford, enlarged the castle by adding the outer court that enclosed the parish church, St Leonard's, which he used as his chapel.
Walter Hungerford was born in 1503 at Heytesbury, Wiltshire, the only child of Sir Edward Hungerford (died 1522) of Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset, and his first wife, Jane Zouche, daughter of John, Lord Zouche of Harringworth (1459–1526).
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford | Farleigh Hungerford | Hungerford | Robert Hungerford, 3rd Baron Hungerford | Richard Farleigh | Monkton Farleigh | Hungerford massacre | Farleigh House | Walter Hungerford | Tom Hungerford | Hungerford Crewe, 3rd Baron Crewe | Farleigh, Surrey | Farleigh House (Hampshire) | Farleigh | Walter Hungerford of Farleigh | Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury | Thomas Hungerford of Rowden | Robert Hungerford, 2nd Baron Hungerford | J. Edward Hungerford | Hungerford's crawling water beetle | Hungerford Market | Hungerford knot | Farleigh Wallop | Farleigh Hill | Edward Hungerford (died 1607) | Edward Hungerford (died 1522) | Edward Hungerford | East Farleigh | Anthony Hungerford of Black Bourton | Anne Hungerford |
It previously occupied Farleigh House at Farleigh Hungerford, a few miles to the north, from which it took its name.
The Hundred of Wellow consisted of the ancient parishes of: Camerton, Charterhouse Hinton, Combe Hay, Corston, Dunkerton, Englishcombe, Farleigh Hungerford, Foxcote, Newton St Loe, Norton St Philip, Tellisford, Twerton and Wellow.