Tattershall Castle (Lincolnshire)
Encyclopedia
Tattershall Castle is a castle
in Tattershall
, Lincolnshire
, England, north east of Sleaford
, and in the care of the National Trust
.
or a fortified manor house
, built by Robert de Tateshale in 1231. This was largely rebuilt in brick, and greatly expanded, by Ralph, 3rd Lord Cromwell
, Treasurer of England, between 1430, and 1450.
Brick castles are less common in England than stone or earth and timber constructions; when brick was chosen as a building material it was often for its aesthetic appeal or because it was fashionable. The trend for using bricks was introduced by Flemish weavers. There was plenty of stone available nearby, but Cromwell chose to use brick. About 700,000 bricks were used to build the castle, which has been described as "the finest piece of medieval brick-work in England".
Of Lord Cromwell's castle, the 130 foot high Great Tower and moat
still remain. It is thought that the castle's three state rooms were once splendidly fitted out and the chambers were heated by immense gothic
fireplaces with decorated chimney pieces and tapestries. It has been said that the castle was an early domestic country mansion masquerading as a fortress. Cromwell died in 1456, the castle was initially inherited by his niece, Joan Bouchier, but was confiscated by the Crown after her husband's demise. Tattershall castle was recovered in 1560 by Sir Henry Sidney, who sold it to Lord Clinton, later Earl of Lincoln
, and it remained with the Earls of Lincoln until 1693. It passed to the Fortesques, but then fell into neglect until 1911 when it was purchased and restored by Lord Curzon of Kedleston, who left it to the National Trust
on his death in 1925. Lord Curzon had undertaken restorations on it between 1911 and 1914. It remains today one of the three most important surviving brick castles of the mid-fifteenth century.
which encloses an inner moat. The inner enclosure, or Ward, was that of the original thirteenth century castle, and the original entrance was on the north side towards the west end.
The Outer Ward, between the outer moat and inner moat, housed the stables. The Middle Ward, originally accessed via a bridge from the Outer Ward, housed a gatehouse
and guardhouse
. Today, access to the castle is via this Middle Ward. The Inner Moat encompases the Inner Ward, where the Great Tower, and kitchens were situated.
The fireplaces indicate that the rooms were not intended to be subdivided, but kept as one great room at each level. One of the four corner turrets contains the staircase, but the other three provided extra accommodation rooms at each level.
The Basement was a place for storing spices and other items for the kitchens. It is believed that during the Civil War
it was used as a prison.
The ground floor was the Parlour and it was here that local tenants would come to pay their rent. Today, the Parlour is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies for up to 90 guests.
The first floor of the private suite was the Hall, which would have been used to entertain and wine and dine guests.
The middle floor was the Audience Chamber, and only the finest of guests would have been admitted here. A brick vaulted corridor led to a small waiting room, before the great hall of the Audience Chamber, which today houses beautiful Flemish
tapestries bought by Lord Curzon.
The top floor would have been the Private Chamber, where the Lord would have retired for the night.
Above this, are the roof gallery and battlements, which provide good views across the Lincolnshire landscape, as far as Boston
to the south, and Lincoln
to the north. It is not possible today to access the turrets.
The brick foundations to the south of the great tower, projecting into the moat, mark the site of the fifteenth century kitchens.
Today, the old guardhouse is the gift shop, and the grounds are home to a number of peacocks
.
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...
in Tattershall
Tattershall
Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, east of the point where that road crosses the River Witham. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the village of Coningsby, to the north of the village...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England, north east of Sleaford
Sleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
, and in the care of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
History
Tattershall Castle has its origins in either a stone castleCastle
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...
or a fortified manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, built by Robert de Tateshale in 1231. This was largely rebuilt in brick, and greatly expanded, by Ralph, 3rd Lord Cromwell
Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell
Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell was an English politician and diplomat. A Privy Councillor from 1422, he served as Treasurer of England and twice as Chamberlain of the Household during the reign of Henry VI....
, Treasurer of England, between 1430, and 1450.
Brick castles are less common in England than stone or earth and timber constructions; when brick was chosen as a building material it was often for its aesthetic appeal or because it was fashionable. The trend for using bricks was introduced by Flemish weavers. There was plenty of stone available nearby, but Cromwell chose to use brick. About 700,000 bricks were used to build the castle, which has been described as "the finest piece of medieval brick-work in England".
Of Lord Cromwell's castle, the 130 foot high Great Tower and moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
still remain. It is thought that the castle's three state rooms were once splendidly fitted out and the chambers were heated by immense gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
fireplaces with decorated chimney pieces and tapestries. It has been said that the castle was an early domestic country mansion masquerading as a fortress. Cromwell died in 1456, the castle was initially inherited by his niece, Joan Bouchier, but was confiscated by the Crown after her husband's demise. Tattershall castle was recovered in 1560 by Sir Henry Sidney, who sold it to Lord Clinton, later Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First Creation :*William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First...
, and it remained with the Earls of Lincoln until 1693. It passed to the Fortesques, but then fell into neglect until 1911 when it was purchased and restored by Lord Curzon of Kedleston, who left it to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
on his death in 1925. Lord Curzon had undertaken restorations on it between 1911 and 1914. It remains today one of the three most important surviving brick castles of the mid-fifteenth century.
Design
The castle is roughly square in shape, bounded by an outer moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
which encloses an inner moat. The inner enclosure, or Ward, was that of the original thirteenth century castle, and the original entrance was on the north side towards the west end.
The Outer Ward, between the outer moat and inner moat, housed the stables. The Middle Ward, originally accessed via a bridge from the Outer Ward, housed a gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
and guardhouse
Guardhouse
A guardhouse is a building used to house personnel and security equipment...
. Today, access to the castle is via this Middle Ward. The Inner Moat encompases the Inner Ward, where the Great Tower, and kitchens were situated.
The Great Tower
The separate doorways to the basement and ground floor (parlour) of the tower hint that they were intended to provide communal accommodation, while the three great upper rooms were an independent private suite. The design was extremely simple, with four floors, slightly increasing in size at each level by reductions in wall thickness.The fireplaces indicate that the rooms were not intended to be subdivided, but kept as one great room at each level. One of the four corner turrets contains the staircase, but the other three provided extra accommodation rooms at each level.
The Basement was a place for storing spices and other items for the kitchens. It is believed that during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
it was used as a prison.
The ground floor was the Parlour and it was here that local tenants would come to pay their rent. Today, the Parlour is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies for up to 90 guests.
The first floor of the private suite was the Hall, which would have been used to entertain and wine and dine guests.
The middle floor was the Audience Chamber, and only the finest of guests would have been admitted here. A brick vaulted corridor led to a small waiting room, before the great hall of the Audience Chamber, which today houses beautiful Flemish
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
tapestries bought by Lord Curzon.
The top floor would have been the Private Chamber, where the Lord would have retired for the night.
Above this, are the roof gallery and battlements, which provide good views across the Lincolnshire landscape, as far as Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
to the south, and Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
to the north. It is not possible today to access the turrets.
The brick foundations to the south of the great tower, projecting into the moat, mark the site of the fifteenth century kitchens.
Today, the old guardhouse is the gift shop, and the grounds are home to a number of peacocks
Peafowl
Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male's extravagant eye-spotted tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female...
.