CASTLES Enjoy getting out and about

Our lead image shows Grimsthorpe Castle, home to Jane HeathcoteDrummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. The property was rebuilt with a Vanbrugh baroque façade in 1714. Today it is set within 3,000 acres of country park and productive farmland.

CASTLE An Englishman’s Home is his

Axiomatically, an Englishman’s home is his castle... and though we’re used to seeing rather smart properties each month in Pride, these country piles really are castles in the traditional sense. Join us as we take a tour of the crenellated, elevated, fortified and latitudinous country estates... Words: Laurin Dempsey. Lead Image Courtesy of Grimsthorpe Castle.

GRIMSTHORPE CASTLE

GRIMSTHORPE CASTLE has been the home of the de Eresby family since 1516 and the house is a fascinating mix of architectural periods and styles. The oldest part is King John's Tower, which was built in the early 13th century by Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln. Gant intended the tower as a lookout point for his castle at Folkingham. Grimsthorpe was owned by a succession of de Gant and de Meaumont families, and on several occasions was a crown possession.

The castle stands in 3,000 acres, about four miles from Bourne, and can easily be seen more than a mile from the road. It is not a castle in the strictest sense of the word, much of the structure having been constructed in times when grandeur was more important than defensibility. It has a magnificent chestnut avenue and is noteworthy for herds of red and fallow deer. Most of the original, quadrangular building, with central courtyard was erected by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who was close to Henry VIII, as vividly portrayed in TV’s The Tudors. The castle also has a connection to Jane Austen, for Jane’s eldest brother, James, married the eldest daughter of General Edward Matthew – whose wife was Lady Jane Bertie, the daughter of the 2nd Duke and Duchess of Ancaster, of Grimsthorpe. The sole issue of this marriage would be Anna Austen, Jane Austen’s niece, who was born in 1793.

Some of the treasures that adorn the castle are almost beyond description: the ‘dress’ worn by Charles I for a portrait by Van Dyck, which is also present; coronation chairs, including that used by George IV at his coronation banquet; robes worn by sovereigns since James II; the House of Lords clock which stopped at the moment George III died and the table on which Queen Victoria signed her accession.

The castle grounds were also utilised by the armed forces in both the First and Second World Wars; a company of the Parachute Regiment was based here in WW2, preparing for the assault on the bridge at Arnhem. The spectacular house is not sold short by the gardens either, which surround the castle on three sides and were landscaped by Capability Brown. Held in Trust Both Grimsthorpe Castle and its sister residence Drummond Castle in Perthshire are now held in trust and managed by the Grimsthorpe & Drummond Castle Trust.

That lake was where composer Thomas Linley the younger (the ‘English Mozart’) met an untimely death whilst staying at Grimsthorpe in 1778, aged just twenty-two. The sailing boat in which Linley was enjoying the lake capsized and the young performer’s attempt to swim to shore ended in tragedy, his lifeless body not being recovered for forty minutes. Linley was buried in the church at Edenham among the monuments to his hosts. >>

ROCKINGHAM CASTLE...

THIS HISTORIC CASTLE and stately home stands in a glorious position overlooking the Welland Valley, giving views over five counties. Rockingham was built by William the Conqueror, who must have realised the strategic importance of the location, for he raised a motte here, set between two baileys.

The castle was in royal hands for over 450 years and was essentially a very regal hunting lodge until the reign of Edward III. King John enjoyed the hunting at Rockingham so much that he visited almost every year of his reign.

Henry VIII leased the castle to Edward Watson in 1544, by which time it was in a very poor state. Watson restored the medieval residence and for the next 450 years, Rockingham has remained the Watson family home. During the Civil War Rockingham was held by a garrison of Roundhead soldiers. Royalist troops attacked the castle on several occasions, but the defences held. After the war, the castle's main defensive structures were destroyed by Parliament so that it could not be held against them. Howev er, the residential quarters were allowed to remain. Much of what we see today is Tudor, enclosed within the earlier Norman castle walls. William the Conqueror's castle motte has been levelled, and the southern bailey is almost gone; its location marked by a rose garden. >>

OAKHAM CASTLE...

T HE GREAT HALL of Oakham Castle is the finest surviving example of Norman domestic architecture in Europe. It was built between 1180 and 1190. Oakham was an existing Anglo-Saxon settlement prior to the Norman invasion and was originally owned by Queen Edith, widow of Edward the Confessor.

It was to dominate this settlement that the first fortification was built around 1075 - an earth and timber motte-andbailey castle. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) the manor was owned by King William but then passed to Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Warwick who exchanged it with Henry I for Sutton in Warwickshire. At some point, most probably in the 1160s, the Manor of Oakham was granted to Walkelin de Ferrières by Henry II. He was a great nephew to Robert de Ferrières, Earl of Derby and also held lands in Gloucestershire (Lechlade). It was he who built the Great Hall around 1180 although he had little time to enjoy his new construction for he would later spend several years in the custody of Duke Leopold V of Austria as one of the hostages held as surety to secure the release of Richard I. The surviving structure is the impressive Great Hall of the Castle, where banquets and courts would have been held. Rutland County Council bid for a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant and in 2014 Oakham Castle was awarded £2.1m by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Following extensive refurbishment works, the Castle re-opened to the public on 30th May 2016, and is now open six days a week with improved facilities offering an interactive and comprehensive guide to its 800 year history. There is a varied programme of events for adults and children alike, as well as daily activities for children. There is plenty for schools to do, too, from informal visits to full day sessions. The Great Hall is now most famous for its unique collection of over 230 ornate ceremonial horseshoes donated by Peers of the Realm (Royalty and nobility such as Dukes, Marquis,’ Earls, Viscounts, Barons and Bishops). Their oldest surviving horseshoe was given to the Castle by Edward IV in 1470. Every one of the horseshoes has a story for you to discover. The Hall is also decorated with a range of 12th century sculptures both inside and out. Above the six amazingly well preserved columns are six musicians, each one playing a different instrument. They are made of local stone from Clipsham and although damaged, are of superb quality. Evidence suggests that they were carved by masons who had worked at Canterbury Cathedral. >>

UPPINGHAM CASTLE...

THE ORIGINS OFUppingham Castle, also known as Beaumont Chase Castle, on Uppingham’s Castle Hill, are uncertain. Although the castle itself is certainly of Norman origin, the site may well have been in use prior to the Conquest - it was mentioned in a Saxon Charter dated 1046 where it was called Martin’s Hoe. Accordingly it could have been a moot, a location used for dispensing justice and other administrative functions. The castle itself was an earth and timber motte-and-bailey fortification. It stands upon a triangular spur of high ground overlooking the Eye Brook with steep natural scarps. There is no evidence the castle was ever rebuilt in stone and accordingly its lifespan was probably relatively short. n

BELVOIR CASTLE...

BELVOIR CASTLE’S history dates back to the eleventh century. It is the ancestral home of the Duke of Rutland, where the family have lived in an unbroken line for almost a thousand years.

Four castles have stood on this spot since 1067; the land at Belvoir was a gift from William the Conqueror to the family’s first recorded ancestor Robert de Todeni. Belvoir rose again some 60 years later with the construction of the second Castle to a medieval design for Sir Thomas Manners. In 1649, the second Castle was destroyed by Parliamentarians. A third Castle was completed in 1668 to a design by John Webb. James Wyatt, famous for his improvements at Windsor Castle, designed the fourth Castle, built between 1801-1832

Left: Belvoir dates back to 1067 and is the ancestral home of the Duke of Rutland. Right: The state bedroom of Belvoir Castle.

VENTURING A LITTLE FURTHER? England’s 10 Best Castles... Source: English Heritage, visitor survey.

10. DOVER CASTLE: The most iconic of all English fortresses, commanding the gateway to the realm for nine centuries, Dover Castle is your winner. 9. KENILWORTH CASTLE: From medieval fortress to Elizabethan palace, Kenilworth Castle has been at the centre of England's affairs for much of its 900 year history. 8. TINTAGEL CASTLE: For centuries, this dramatic castle and coastline has fired the imaginations of writers, artists and even the brother of a king. 7. BOLSOVER CASTLE: With spectacular views over Derbyshire, this Stuart mansion was designed to entertain. Its reputation for revelry lives on to this day. 6. PORTCHESTER CASTLE: The most impressive and best-preserved of the Roman ‘Saxon Shore’ forts, Portchester Castle was originally built in the late 3rd century. 5. WARKWORTH CASTLE: Crowning the hilltop over the River Coquet, this Northumbrian stronghold offers many rooms to explore and spectacular views.

4. DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE: Built on the most magnificent scale, Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a remote headland in Northumberland.

3. MIDDLEHAM CASTLE: Once the home of Richard III, extensive remains of the fortified palace still survive today, making Middleham a fascinating castle to explore.

2. CARISBROOKE CASTLE: Home to its own famous donkeys, the quintessential romantic castle of Carisbrooke is at the very heart of the Isle of Wight's history.

1. BEESTON CASTLE: Crowning a rocky crag and boasting spectacular views, Beeston is one of the most dramatically sited medieval castles in England. n

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Design Talk: ‘Bernie de Le Cuona on natural fabrics and wellbeing’

The first of a number of exclusive events fundraising for important causes throughout 2020 De Le Cuona design talk: Thursday 30 April at 5:30pm Bubbles and Canapés upon arrival Tickets £45

EASTER WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP AND TABLETOP INSPIRATION Wednesday 25 March 2020 at 10:00am £35 to include materials, tuition and bijoux brunch Beautiful prizes in the ES Interiors Easter raffle

CHILDREN’S EASTER CRAFT – DELICIOUSLY DECORATED DELIGHTS Wednesday 8 April 2020 at 10:00am £25 to include materials, tuition and tasty treats Beautiful prizes for children in the ES Interiors Easter raffle

All events take place at Elizabeth Stanhope, 17a and 27 Mill Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6EA To book: email showroom@elizabethstanhope.co.uk Telephone 01572 722345 or online www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk

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