Astwell Castle facts for kids

Astwell Castle is an old country house in Northamptonshire, England. It's about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) southwest of Wappenham and is part of the village of Helmdon. This historic building is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's important and protected.

History of Astwell Castle

Astwell Castle has a long and interesting past, dating back to the time after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

Early Owners and Builders

• The De Wauncy family were some of the first owners of this land.
• Later, it passed to the Brookes family.
• In 1471, a man named Thomas Lovett II became the owner. He started building the house we know today.

Changes Over the Centuries

• George Shirley, who became a baronet in 1611, was the next important owner. He was Thomas Lovett's grandson and either partly or completely rebuilt the manor house.
• Over the years, the castle was owned by several important families, including the Shirleys and later the Grenville-Temples.
• By 1874, much of the original manor house had been taken apart. Only some smaller buildings and a strong, tall tower remained.

Restoration and Modern Times

• Astwell Castle has been a Grade II listed building since 1953.
• In 1958, the building was carefully restored for Mrs. Joan Wake, bringing much of its beauty back.
• Even today, the castle has many beautiful old features like special windows, window seats, old fireplaces, and an oak staircase. It's a historic home with four bedrooms and three living rooms, and while it's lived in, more restoration work is always possible.

Castle Design and Features

Astwell Castle shows off different styles of building from its long history.

The Gatehouse Tower

• The strong gatehouse tower, with a smaller building attached to its left, was built during Thomas Lovett's time. This part is very old!
• It has a spiral staircase that leads up to rooms and even to the roof, which has a cool castle-like top.

The Main House

• To the west of the tower, there used to be a very large house with over forty rooms. This was added by the Lovett and Shirley families in the 1500s and 1600s.
• Today, only a small part of this big house remains. You can still see its old windows with stone bars (called mullions) and arched openings.
• Inside, there's a fireplace with a simple, patterned design above its arch.
• Old drawings from the early 1700s show that more parts were added to the house, possibly over the moat (a ditch around the castle). This might have been when they created formal gardens around the house.

Later Changes

• The southern part of the building was changed in the 1800s and again in 1957. During the 1957 work, the house was updated, and its roof timbers were replaced.

The Tower's Secrets

In 1918, a historian named Evans described the tower in detail.

• The tower was once the gatehouse for an even older house.
• You can still see the family symbol of Sir George Shirley (who died there in 1622) at its entrance.
• The original entrance was closed up, and a new one was opened next to it.
• Inside, there's a basement, a room for a gatekeeper, and two floors above.
• The floors were in good condition, but the inside had become a home for pigeons!
• The room on the first floor has old family shields hidden under the paint. There's also a blocked-up doorway that might have led to an outside walkway.
• Both the first and second-floor rooms have "garderobes," which were old-fashioned toilets.
• From the top of the tower, you get a great view of the whole area.

The Grounds Around the Castle

The land around Astwell Castle also has its own history.

Deer Park

• In 1547, a deer park was created here. This was a special area where deer were kept, often for hunting.

A Sad Day in History

• On November 30, 1943, during World War II, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber plane crashed near the farm buildings at Astwell.
• The plane was on its way to bomb a factory in Germany.
• Sadly, all 10 crew members on board were killed in the crash.
• Every year, people remember these brave American airmen. In 2008, a special wreath was laid, and their names were read out during a Remembrance Service at Helmdon parish church.

See Also

• Listed building
• Manor house

Images for kids

• 

  Astwell Castle around 1913, showing its historic look.