Rockingham Castle
Encyclopedia
Rockingham Castle is a former royal castle
and hunting lodge in Rockingham Forest
a mile to the north of Corby
, Northamptonshire
.
, Roman period
and by the invading Saxon
s also used by the Normans, Tudors and also used in the Medieval Period. This is because its position on elevated ground provides clear views of the Welland Valley
from a strong defensible location.
William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a wooden Motte and Bailey at Rockingham in the 11th century shortly after the Norman Invasion of Britain
. Within three decades, William II
replaced it with a stone castle. A stone keep
was added to the large motte and the outer bailey was enclosed by a curtain wall
. The castle was then used as a Royal retreat throughout the Norman
and Plantagenet periods
. Nearby Rockingham Forest was especially good for hunting wild boar and deer
.
In 1270, Henry III
strengthened the castle with the addition of a twin D-tower gatehouse. But less than a century later Edward III
became the last monarch to visit the castle while it was possessed by The Crown
.
By the late 15th century Rockingham Castle had fallen into disrepair. Edward Watson (founder of the Watson Family dynasty
) acquired the castle from Henry VIII
. Parts of the castle were subsequently replaced with a Tudor house with gardens. The former royal castle became a hunting lodge for the nobility.
In the 1640s, Rockingham was garrisoned by troops loyal to Charles I
during the English Civil War
. Several small skirmishes were fought with Parliamentary forces. In 1643, Rockingham was captured by Parliamentarian general Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
. Its remaining walls were slighted in 1646.
In the latter 17th and 18th centuries, Rockingham returned to being a civil residence and family seat
of the Marquesses of Rockingham
. The castle underwent further restoration in the late 19th century.
Today the castle remains the private home of the Saunders Watson family.
. This mistake arises due to Rockingham having a Market Harborough
postal address, even though it borders directly onto the town of Corby in Northamptonshire
. Rockingham village is part of, and is administered by Corby Borough Council.
The Castle overlooks the villages of Rockingham
and Caldecott
and enjoys good views over the Welland Valley
. Now privately owned, it is open to the public on certain days.
Rockingham Castle was a popular haunt of writer Charles Dickens
who was a great friend of Richard & Levinia Watson, ancestors of the current family. The Castle is the inspiration for Chesney Wold in one of his greatest works, Bleak House
.
A cricket pitch
lies within the grounds of the castle and is home to Old Eastonians Cricket Club.
English Civil War
period drama By the Sword Divided
. In the TV series "Arnescote Castle" was the home of the Royalist Lacey family. It also featured in the film Top Secret!
which starred Val Kilmer
.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
and hunting lodge in Rockingham Forest
Rockingham Forest
Rockingham Forest is a former Mediæval royal hunting forest in the East Midlands region of England; most of which was in the county of Northamptonshire but also extended slightly into the neighbouring counties of Leicestershire and Lincolnshire .The forest originally stretched from Stamford down...
a mile to the north of Corby
Corby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
.
History
The site on which the castle stands has been used in the Iron AgeBritish Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron-Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ireland, and which had an independent Iron Age culture of...
, Roman period
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
and by the invading Saxon
Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain
The Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain was the invasion and migration of Germanic peoples from continental Europe to Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages, specifically the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain after the demise of Roman rule in the 5th century.The stimulus, progression and...
s also used by the Normans, Tudors and also used in the Medieval Period. This is because its position on elevated ground provides clear views of the Welland Valley
River Welland
The River Welland is a river in the east of England, some long. It rises in the Hothorpe Hills, at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire, then flows generally northeast to Market Harborough, Stamford and Spalding, to reach The Wash near Fosdyke. For much of its length it forms the county boundary between...
from a strong defensible location.
William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a wooden Motte and Bailey at Rockingham in the 11th century shortly after the Norman Invasion of Britain
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. Within three decades, William II
William II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
replaced it with a stone castle. A stone keep
Shell keep
A shell keep is a style of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure circling the top of a motte.In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall...
was added to the large motte and the outer bailey was enclosed by a curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
. The castle was then used as a Royal retreat throughout the Norman
Norman dynasty
Norman dynasty is the usual designation for the family that were the Dukes of Normandy and the English monarchs which immediately followed the Norman conquest and lasted until the Plantagenet dynasty came to power in 1154. It included Rollo and his descendants, and from William the Conqueror and...
and Plantagenet periods
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
. Nearby Rockingham Forest was especially good for hunting wild boar and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
.
In 1270, Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
strengthened the castle with the addition of a twin D-tower gatehouse. But less than a century later Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
became the last monarch to visit the castle while it was possessed by The Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
.
By the late 15th century Rockingham Castle had fallen into disrepair. Edward Watson (founder of the Watson Family dynasty
Marquess of Rockingham
Marquess of Rockingham was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1746 for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Earl of Malton. The Watson family descended from Lewis Watson, Member of Parliament for Lincoln. He was created a Baronet, of Rockingham Castle in the County of Northampton,...
) acquired the castle from Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. Parts of the castle were subsequently replaced with a Tudor house with gardens. The former royal castle became a hunting lodge for the nobility.
In the 1640s, Rockingham was garrisoned by troops loyal to Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Several small skirmishes were fought with Parliamentary forces. In 1643, Rockingham was captured by Parliamentarian general Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford , known as the Lord Grey of Groby from 1614 to 1628, was an English nobleman and military leader. He was the eldest son of Sir John Grey and Elizabeth Nevill...
. Its remaining walls were slighted in 1646.
In the latter 17th and 18th centuries, Rockingham returned to being a civil residence and family seat
Family seat
A seat or family seat is the principal residence of a family. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families took their dynasty name from their family seat , or named their family seat after their own dynasty...
of the Marquesses of Rockingham
Marquess of Rockingham
Marquess of Rockingham was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1746 for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Earl of Malton. The Watson family descended from Lewis Watson, Member of Parliament for Lincoln. He was created a Baronet, of Rockingham Castle in the County of Northampton,...
. The castle underwent further restoration in the late 19th century.
Today the castle remains the private home of the Saunders Watson family.
Location
Rockingham Castle is often stated as being in the county of LeicestershireLeicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. This mistake arises due to Rockingham having a Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
postal address, even though it borders directly onto the town of Corby in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. Rockingham village is part of, and is administered by Corby Borough Council.
The Castle overlooks the villages of Rockingham
Rockingham, Northamptonshire
Rockingham is a village and civil parish in the Corby district of Northamptonshire, England. It is just north of Corby, close by the border with Leicestershire and Rutland, near to Great Easton and Caldecott...
and Caldecott
Caldecott, Rutland
Caldecott is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about four miles south of Uppingham and is the most southerly village in Rutland....
and enjoys good views over the Welland Valley
River Welland
The River Welland is a river in the east of England, some long. It rises in the Hothorpe Hills, at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire, then flows generally northeast to Market Harborough, Stamford and Spalding, to reach The Wash near Fosdyke. For much of its length it forms the county boundary between...
. Now privately owned, it is open to the public on certain days.
Rockingham Castle was a popular haunt of writer Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
who was a great friend of Richard & Levinia Watson, ancestors of the current family. The Castle is the inspiration for Chesney Wold in one of his greatest works, Bleak House
Bleak House
Bleak House is the ninth novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853. It is held to be one of Dickens's finest novels, containing one of the most vast, complex and engaging arrays of minor characters and sub-plots in his entire canon...
.
A cricket pitch
Cricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
lies within the grounds of the castle and is home to Old Eastonians Cricket Club.
Filming
Rockingham Castle was used as the set for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
period drama By the Sword Divided
By the Sword Divided
By the Sword Divided is a British television series produced by the BBC between 1983 and 1985.The series was a historical drama set during the mid 17th century, dealing with the impact of the English Civil War on the fictional Lacey family, made up of both Royalist and Parliamentarian supporters.It...
. In the TV series "Arnescote Castle" was the home of the Royalist Lacey family. It also featured in the film Top Secret!
Top Secret!
Top Secret! is a 1984 comedy film directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. It stars Val Kilmer , Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough and Jeremy Kemp. The film is a parody of the GDR era and Elvis films...
which starred Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
.