Chilham Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chilham Castle |
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| Chilham, Kent, England | |
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 Chilham Castle
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| Coordinates | 51°14′35″N 0°57′36″E / 51.243°N 0.960°E |
| Type | Manor house and keep |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Historic England |
| Condition | Excellent |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1612–1616 |
| Built by | Dudley Digges |
| In use | Private Residence |
| Materials | Brick and Stone |
Chilham Castle is a beautiful old building in the village of Chilham, located between Ashford and Canterbury in Kent, England. It's actually two main parts: a very old castle tower called a keep, and a newer, grand house.
Contents
History of Chilham Castle
The Ancient Keep
The oldest part of Chilham Castle is its unique, many-sided tower, or "keep." This part was built way back in 1174. It's a Norman castle, meaning it was built by people from Normandy. What's really cool is that people still live in this ancient tower today! This makes it one of the oldest homes in the UK.
People say that King Henry II had it built. But, during digs in the 1920s, experts found that it might stand on the foundations of an even older Anglo-Saxon fort from the 600s. In 1320, a big party was held here for King Edward II when he was traveling to France.
The Newer Jacobean House
Close to the old keep is the newer, grand house. It was finished in 1616 for a man named Sir Dudley Digges. This house is built in a style called Jacobean, which was popular during the time of King James I.
The house has a very interesting hexagonal (six-sided) shape. Five sides have buildings, and one side is open. It has cool features like battlements (like on a castle wall) and unique brick chimneys. The house offers amazing views across the valley of the River Stour, Kent.
Gardens Through Time
The beautiful gardens at Chilham Castle have changed over many years. It's thought that John Tradescant the elder, a famous gardener, might have designed them first.
Later, in the 1700s, the gardens were redesigned twice. A banker named James Colebrooke created lovely long views towards the river. Then, another owner, Thomas Heron, brought in the famous landscape designer Capability Brown. Some of Brown's ideas for the gardens were put into action.
Who Lived Here?
Chilham Castle has had many owners. In 1794, James Wildman bought it. His son, James Beckford Wildman, inherited it in 1816. He later sold it in 1861 because his family's income changed.
Later, architects made more changes to the building. These plans are now kept in the Victoria & Albert Museum. The terraced gardens you see today were changed in the 1700s and 1900s. They lead down to a fishing lake that was created in the 1860s and 70s.
From 1949 until 1992, John Whyte-Melville-Skeffington, 13th Viscount Massereene owned the castle. More recently, it was owned by Stuart Wheeler, who lived there with his daughters until he passed away in 2020.
Today, Chilham Castle is home to the Chilham Park Equestrian Centre. This means it's a place where people can ride horses and take part in horse events.
Chilham Castle in Movies and TV
Chilham Castle has been a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows!
- In 1965, parts of the movie The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders were filmed here. It starred famous actors like Kim Novak and Angela Lansbury.
- In 1985, the castle was featured in an episode of the police drama Dempsey & Makepeace. It was shown as Makepeace's family home in an episode called 'Cry God For Harry'.
- The castle also appeared in the first episode of the ITV adventure game show Interceptor in 1989. A medieval joust was held there as part of the show.
- In 1994, Chilham Castle was used as Gorston Hall, the manor house of Simeon Lee, in an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot called Gorston Hall.
- It was also used in the 2006 TV film "The Moving Finger" (part of the Miss Marple series). The whole village of Chilham was featured in this film too.
Images for kids
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Chilham Castle: the open rear range of the hexagonal plan, open to lawn and terraces
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The Hardy Children, monument in St. Mary's church. The book shows an illustration from Babes in the Wood
See also
In Spanish: Chilham Castle para niños
