I have lived in Nuneaton and for some time Coventry all my life but I had no idea this castle existed. When I saw the Open Day advertised I thought it was for the ruins at Maxstoke village, it was quite a surprise to arrive at this beautiful moated castle.
It was built by the 1st Earl of Huntingdon and completed in 1345. The Castle remained in the family for 80 years before being exchange for manors in Northamptonshire. The Earl of Stafford and 1st Duke of Buckingham took ownership and his family lived at the Castle until 1521
The Earl's son later married Margaret Beaufort, the mother of King Henry VII and up to the late 16th century the Castle had a mixed history including at times being of requisition by the Crown. During the Civil War the Castle was garrisoned by Lord Brooke, a Parliamentarian. William Dilke, then owner, pledged £2000 that the Castle would not be occupied by Royalists. The Dilke family owned the Castle for over 400 years and it is still a family home.
The inner courtyard and grounds were open and it was possible to visit the first floor of the tudor black and white timbered house. Both inside and out were superb examples of the Castles and its houses age. Inside there were many magnificent objects including many royal items.
We had a superb day out, learning so much about somewhere so close to home yet unknown. The Castle grounds outside the moat included a walled garden and woodland walks. It is somewhere we'd visit again on their annual Open Day and probably take a picnic next time too.
No comments:
Post a Comment