D and I went along to the Open Day at Maxstoke Castle on the Sunday before last. It only opens to the public once a year and, although we have been twice before, it is a delightful place to visit and explore.
There were a few MG cars parked along the drive - how I would love one of these!
On arrival we made a beeline for the cake stall (they never last long!) - for me a
piece of Carrot Cake.
Maxstoke Castle (a fortified manor house) was originally constructed by William de Clinton, Earl of Huntingdon, around 650 years ago. De Clinton had already built the Augustinian Maxstoke Priory about two miles away. Sadly, the Priory is now in ruins but you can see a few remnants from the road. Maxstoke Castle came into the possession of Humphrey, Earl of Stafford in 1438 but the castle was later forfeited to the Crown. Richard III visited the house in 1485 as he travelled to Nottingham (and the subsquent Battle of Bosworth where he was killed). The new King Henry VII gave the estate to Edward, Duke of Buckingham until he was charged with treason and the estate was again forfeited to the Crown. Henry VIII gave the manor to Sir William Compton in return for military service and he later sold it to Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord of the Great Seal of England.
In 1599 the castle, manor and park of Maxstoke were bought for £5,500 from Sir Thomas Egerton by Sir Thomas (later Sir) Dilke. The Dilke (and later Fetherston-Dilk) family has retained the estate and lived there (apart from a few short periods) ever since. The new owners restored the castle and carried out alterations.
A highlight of the 18th century was the marriage of William Dilke to Mary Fetherston-Leigh of Packwood House in 1759 thus uniting two Warwickshire families.
Towards the end of World War One the castle was used as a convalescent hospital for soldiers by the Red Cross. For a time in the 1930's the owner leased the house to a country club until they went into liquidation. In the Second World War the Castle was requisitioned by the War Office as accommodation and in 1940 it was taken over by the Ministry of Aircraft and used for storage.
In 1946 Beaumont Fetherston-Dilke returned to the castle and found it in a bad state of repair with the garden also having been totally neglected. Beaumont lived there until his death in 1968 when his son Charles inherited. At this time the moat was dredged for the first time in 150 years. In 1989 Charles and his wife moved into another house on the estate and his son Michael, wife and family moved in carrying out further restoration and alterations.
The Castle is a perfect square 60 yards by 60 yards and has four towers and a gatehouse. It was built from sandstone and the main wall is about 5.5 feet thick. The black and white Elizabethan wing was added by the first members of the Dilke family to live there.
The Gatehouse with its fluted ceiling
and then into the Courtyard which has herbaceous borders around the perimeter.
We didn't go inside the castle this time (no photos are allowed) but you can visit the Banqueting Hall, Oak Drawing Room and The Library.
Plants in Walls - I spotted Valerian, Ivy-leafed Toadflax, ferns and a plant with yellow flowers which I failed to identify.
After looking round the Courtyard we explored the Moat Walk - the roses were a delight.
I've never noticed the Gargoyles before - although they are very weathered!
This Gothic window reminded me of a church.
A bees nest! I think they were Honey Bees?
Timothy was enjoying himself.
There is a lovely walk through a wildflower meadow and woodland with scenic views of the moat and castle.
The Sunken Garden - this was created in a swimming pool that had been installed by the Country Club.
Anyone for tennis? Timothy wants to know why we haven't got one of these at home!
Finally, a few photos D took - I've included some because they were better than mine of the same subject and the leaf and cow parsley ones because I love them.
Speckled Wood - the only butterfly we saw.
*D - Photos taken by D with the Canon Bridge SX50
Remaining photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 camera
Reference: Guide Book to Maxstoke Castle
15 comments:
Fascinating post, I've never heard of the castle. Makes one wonder how many other hidden gems like this there are about.
The wildflower meadow looks quite delightful. I am surprised that you only saw a single species of butterfly.
Springinsfeld - Thank you so much. I only heard about it a few years ago and it is not that many miles from me! It is a super place and such a shame it is only open once a year.
David Gascoigne - Thank you so much. I'm not seeing too many butterflies around at all at the moment. Not quite sure why as it has been dry and warm for weeks in the main.
A Year in the Meadow book, so kindly recommended by you, has arrived. It looks wonderful :) Thank you again for the suggestion.
It seems it was a weekend for enjoying moats! Thank you for your kind comments, RR, on my Helmingham Hall post. Your photos are wonderful, as ever, covering such a variety of aspects of your visit. I wish you could pass on your taste for carrot cake... I am *such* a cake person, but not keen on carrot or fruit cakes (except the rich Christmas and wedding ones!). Speaking of cake, I had a sumptuous slice of ginger cake at Snape Maltings recently, and realised too late (i.e. after eating it, LOL) that I had meant to photograph it! Timothy may not have a personal tennis court, but he looks totally in his element among the ox-eye daisies. I had also never heard of Maxstoke. It looks an excellent (annual) place to visit, with something for everyone. I can almost smell those old fashioned roses! As for the butterfly, well, I keep looking. It's not been a bad year here for blue varieties, particularly the Holly Blue, but there are hardly any butterflies about in the garden - and plenty of blackfly on the nasturtiums, which suggests not even much Large White activity...
Very few butterflies here also. There were more about a month or more ago.
Maybe we are between the over-Wintering ones and the new Summer batch.
Great to see some very different gargoyles. Many areas seem to use similar designs but those are very individual.
Caroline Gill - Thank you and yes moats do seem popular :) I do love Carrot cake although prefer it with a topping and yes I like rich Christmas cakes too although some of the family prefer a lighter one like Dundee. It is sponge cakes I am not so fond of. Ginger cake sounds yummy - I do like ginger! - what a shame about the photo - lol! I have done the same on occasions!
Maxstoke is tiny - the bit where the priory ruins are plus the church is only really a hamlet and the castle itself is a few miles away. They are both near Coleshill in North Warwickshire.
Interesting what you say about butterflies. We have had a lot of Holly Blues too in the garden but that species always does well here and have had Speckled Wood plus earlier in the year Commas and recently a Red Admiral but few Orange Tips and, as you say, very few of the "whites".
Midmarsh John - Thank you and interesting also on your comment re: butterflies. Yes, I think you are right about it being a gap between generations.
I was chuffed with my gargoyle sightings - they must have looked even better before being weathered! It is good now I have the bridge camera as I can zoom in on items up high. Hopefully going to Coleshill at the weekend and will take a photo of a gargoyle on the church there - one my son and I spotted for the first time on our last visit but we hadn't got a camera with us!
Fascinating post full of wonderful things, I've enjoyed reading about the family connections and also the Richard III connection of course:) The castle looks a super place to visit, I love all the flowers growing in and against the walls and the roses are beautiful. I hope the WWI soldiers found it a peaceful place which helped in their recovery:)
Rosie - Thanks so much. It seemed quite a coincidence the Richard III connection after recent trip to Bosworth! Also went to Packwood recently and I spotted a Packwood connection too!
It was packed with people when we went! but I would imagine the soldiers would have found it very peaceful there.
I (well, we of course) would LOVE to visit there. Not a castle I've heard of before, but WHAT an amazing history. Thank you so much for all the wonderful details and the beautiful photographs - I could almost smell those roses! I wonder if the Yellow flower is Nipplewort? Something of that ilk anyway.
I have to say the gardens there are just so beautiful, and you had the perfect weather for your visit.
With my Archaeologists' hat on, I am wondering just WHAT they found when they dredged the moat!!
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much :) I think because it only opens once a year it remains "off the radar" as it were. The history is very interesting - there is a lot more in the guidebook but too much detail for the blog post!
Thanks for the suggestion re:Nipplewort - will crop the photo and enlarge and check what I see with one of the wild flower guides.
I would love to visit those gardens when no-one else is around (the Open Day is very popular locally and it was packed!) as they would be so peaceful and tranquil.
Sorry no mention of what they found when they dredged the moat The guide book just says 20,000 tons of silt was removed! You may remember my recent post on Harvington Hall - there was a cabinet their full of slipware which had been recovered from their moat. So I am sure there must have been items in the Maxstoke moat.
Great post , what a stunning place.. liked seeing all the flowers especially the ones growing out of the walls.
Love the first photo..
Amanda xx
So many flowers, I love how they are working their way up the walls!
Amanda Peters - Thanks so much Amanda. Glad you enjoyed.
Pam - Thank you - it is what I would call a "romantic" garden - so lovely there.
It looks a lovely place to visit :-)
CherryPie - Thank you and yes it is lovely there.
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