Astley Castle, Warwickshire

D spotted on Saturday morning that Astley Castle in North Warwickshire was open for Heritage Weekend.  We've visited before but D has never been when it is open and you can access the castle itself.

Depending on what source you use! This is either a restored coach house or a Gothick Stable Block c1765.

 

Today Astley Castle is looked after by the Landmark Trust - a charity that rescues historic buildings and gives them a new lease of life by restoring them and letting them out for self catering holidays.

Astley Castle, a fortified manor house rather than a true castle,  has a moat, gateway and curtain walls as well as the castle remains.  It is Grade II and is a Scheduled Monument.

It has connections with three Queens of England. Firstly, Elizabeth Woodville, wife of young Edward IV. She was the widow of Sir John Grey who was killed in 1461 at the Battle of St Albans. She lived at Astley with her two sons. Sir John's estates were taken by the Crown and Edward fell in love with when she pleaded with him for the estates to be returned. Secondly, Elizabeth of York who married Henry VII and thirdly to Lady Jane Grey who was crowned in 1553 and reigned for just 9 days before being executed.

It is a medieval "castle" built in the C13th by the Astley family who held the manor.  Sir Thomas Astley founded a chantry in the nearby parish church and later converted this into a small college for the secular clergy who prayed for the souls of the deceased of his family and also distributed alms to the local poor (we will visit the church in the next post).  Sir Thomas also built a new church next to the castle.

Sir William Astley died in 1420 and left no male heirs and so the estate passed to his daughter Joan who then passed it onto her husband's son Sir Edward Grey.

Between 1600 and 1674 the Chamberlaine family lived at Astley. They refurbished it and made alterations to the church.  It was garrisoned by Parliamentarian troops in the mid 1640's.

In 1674 the castle was bought by Richard Newdigate a prosperous lawyer who lived on the nearby Arbury Estate.

Astley was requisitioned by the army in World War Two and was used as a home where soldiers could recuperate. After it was left empty.

In 1953 the castle was turned into a hotel but after the lease expired the castle was gutted by fire in 1978.

The Landmark Trust took over the castle and consolidated most of the castle ruins and part of the castle was turned into a self catering holiday apartment.  It was a bit "too peopley" when D and I visited so we didn't look at the apartment but I did visit with B a few years back for Heritage Week and we had a look then.  It is expensive to book but it does house quite a few people and is very luxurious.  There is a huge open plan lounge, kitchen and dining area on the first floor with stunning views.

D and I did have a good look round the ruins and grounds though.

Astley is within "George Eliot" country. In the 19th century the author George Eliot grew up on the estate.  Her real name was Mary Ann Evans and her father Robert was an agent of the Newdigates. Memories of Astley and Arbury are scattered throughout her books. I do remember reading and studying her book Silas Marner at school and in one of the bookcases  I have Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch.

Astley Castle from the Knot Garden

D mentioned that the castle must surely be haunted so I did a bit of research in books when I got home.  Several ghosts have been reported. One is a cowled monk. Another is the headless ghost of Lady Jane Grey who was beheaded at Tower Hill and can be seen wandering around carrying her head under her arm.  Poor Jane was just a pawn in a power game by her father and father in law. She was only 17 when she died.

The other ghost is that of her father Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk. He was found to be involved in Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion against Queen Mary and he fled to Astley to hide in a hollow tree just south west of the church.  He was betrayed by a man called Underwood who had been bringing him food and was captured and beheaded on Tower Hill on 23rd February 1554. His ghost is seen wandering between the castle and the hollow tree.  The actual tree no longer exists but there is a plaque that marks the spot. I will have to look for that on a future visit.

*D

*D

*D

*D

The church of St Mary the Virgin was also open so I had a brief look round there. I have been in the church before but only briefly and I missed a lot.  I'll write about the church in the next post although again it was a quick visit as it was again "too peopley"!!!! and D was waiting outside as he only had an even briefer look round.

The church was full of flower displays in memory of Queen Elizabeth II and a book of condolence that people could sign.  I still find it hard to believe we have a new King as it all seems to have happened so suddenly. I was born in 1952 so she is the only monarch throughout my life up until now.

Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and those marked with *D by my son with a Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate most of my photos but if you would like to use one of mine or my son's I would be appreciate an email first thanks).

Reference: Buildings of England Warwickshire by  Chris Pickford and Nikolaus Pevsner Yale University Press latest edition

Ghosts of Warwickshire by Betty Smith

The Folklore of Warwickshire by Roy Palmer

Church guidebook bought on an earlier visit.

Another Visit to Herefordshire - Part 1: Stokesay Castle

 

Monday was a lovely day and, as Stokesay Castle is less than 40 minutes away,  I had promised D we would return. 

To reach the castle from the car park you walk through the churchyard of St John the Baptist.

In the grounds of Stokesay there was a grass bank full of cowslips.

Stokesay Castle is one of the earliest and also one of the finest examples of a fortified manor house in England.

Many of the buildings that you can see today were built by Laurence of Ludlow, one of the richest wool merchants in England, in the 1280's and early 1290's.  Its military appearance is superficial as it would not have withstood a siege although the defences were enough to keep out robbers. Laurence of Ludlow's descendants lived in the house for around 350 years. The castle walls were demolished during The Civil War in the 1640's. The buildings fell into decay in the 18th century and were  bought and restored by John Derby Allcroft, a glovemaker. The property is now in the care of English Heritage.

The very impressive Gatehouse was built 1640/41 by Lord Craven - one of Laurence's descendents.  At ground level the walls are close studded and also show the regional style of timber framing.  Lintels and brackets are decorated with men and women, angels, demons and Adam and Eve.

The Stokesay Dragon.

Mason marks in the gatehouse.

There is a small but pretty little garden.  When we visited before D took a photo from the tower and the garden formed the shape of a key - a reference to the legend of the two Giants of Stokesay.

The Legend of the Giants of Stokesay Castle

Stokesay Castle is surrounded by hills - two of which are known as View Edge and Norton Camp.  Two giants who may have been brothers once lived on these two hilltops. They kept their hoard of money in a locked chest in the vaults of the castle and shared the key.  The key was thrown between the hills depending on which giant had it in their possession and who needed to use it. One day one of the giants didn't aim very well and the key fell short of its target landing in the  water filled castle moat.  The giants searched and searched but could not find the key and to this day the key has never been found.  Hidden somewhere in the castle is a locked chest of treasure guarded by a raven.

The Solar block (to the left), Great Hall in the centre and the North Tower to the right.

The interior of the Great Hall built 1270/1280 is very impressive  with its cruck roof.  Dendrochronology has dated the timbers used to the 1280's.  Laurence of Ludlow would have dined here with his family and guests.

Medieval tiles on the first floor.  (I didn't go up to the second floor this time as the stairs are a bit steep and to be honest I had developed a swollen foot and ankle which was making me even unsteadier on my feet than usual).

The solar was renovated and re-furbished in the  17th century and the very impressive carved over mantel dates from this period.  It is divided by pilasters into four squares.

First floor of the South Tower.

 

South Tower - B and D went up to the top where apparently the views are superb.

There is a lovely walk round the moat although you can't get all the way round at the moment as there is scaffolding on the north tower.

*D

*D

*D

*D

*D

*D

I'll write about the nearby church of St John the Baptist in a future post together with a brief visit to St Mary, Eardisland but the next post will cover the picturesque village of Eardisland.

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

*D Photos taken by D with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera and rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.

Reference: English Heritage Guide Book to Stokesay Castle

"These Our Monsters - The English Heritage Book of New Folklore, Myth and Legend"