Cooling Castle
Encyclopedia
Cooling Castle was built in the 1380s by John Cobham
on the edge of marshes at Cooling
, six miles north of Rochester, Kent
. It is now about two miles inland. It was besieged by Thomas Wyatt the younger
during Wyatt's rebellion
in 1554; Lord Cobham
surrendered after a brief resistance. Though he claimed to have surrendered to superior force, he had previously sympathized with Wyatt's cause, and he was briefly imprisoned for his role in the affair. The castle has also been the property of the Lollard leader John Oldcastle
– executed for his beliefs, and later the source for Shakespeare's Falstaff
– through his marriage to Joan Oldcastell, 4th Baroness Cobham.
During the 1990s, the property was owned by the Rochester bridge wardens. The more recent residential parts of the castle are still in use – as of 2006 it is owned by musician Jools Holland
. The main part of the castle is in ruins with a private house inside. The gatehouse is in good condition and can be seen from the road. The barns at Cooling Castle are mainly used for weddings and civil events.
The castle was put on the English Heritage
"Heritage at Risk" register in 2009.
John de Cobham, 3rd Baron Cobham
John de Cobham, 3rd Baron Cobham was the son of John de Cobham, 2nd Baron Cobham and Joan de Beauchamp. He was given a licence to crenellate by Richard II in 1381 and built Cooling Castle at the family seat in Cowling or Cooling, Kent....
on the edge of marshes at Cooling
Cooling, Kent
Cooling is a village and civil parish on the Hoo Peninsula, overlooking the North Kent Marshes. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 209....
, six miles north of Rochester, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. It is now about two miles inland. It was besieged by Thomas Wyatt the younger
Thomas Wyatt the younger
Sir Thomas Wyatt the younger was a rebel leader during the reign of Queen Mary I of England; his rising is traditionally called "Wyatt's rebellion".-Birth and career:...
during Wyatt's rebellion
Wyatt's rebellion
Wyatt's Rebellion was a popular uprising in England in 1554, named after Thomas Wyatt the younger, one of its leaders. The rebellion arose out of concern over Queen Mary I's determination to marry Philip II of Spain, which was an unpopular policy with the English...
in 1554; Lord Cobham
George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham
George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham was an aristocrat during the early Tudor dynasty in England. A soldier and magnate, he participated in the English wars of his days and in the political turmoil following the death of Henry VIII....
surrendered after a brief resistance. Though he claimed to have surrendered to superior force, he had previously sympathized with Wyatt's cause, and he was briefly imprisoned for his role in the affair. The castle has also been the property of the Lollard leader John Oldcastle
John Oldcastle
Sir John Oldcastle , English Lollard leader, was son of Sir Richard Oldcastle of Almeley in northwest Herefordshire and grandson of another Sir John Oldcastle....
– executed for his beliefs, and later the source for Shakespeare's Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
– through his marriage to Joan Oldcastell, 4th Baroness Cobham.
During the 1990s, the property was owned by the Rochester bridge wardens. The more recent residential parts of the castle are still in use – as of 2006 it is owned by musician Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
. The main part of the castle is in ruins with a private house inside. The gatehouse is in good condition and can be seen from the road. The barns at Cooling Castle are mainly used for weddings and civil events.
The castle was put on the English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
"Heritage at Risk" register in 2009.