Hedingham Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hedingham Castle |
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Hedingham Castle, 2012
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| General information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Address | Castle Hedingham, Essex, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°59′33″N 0°36′04″E / 51.99250°N 0.60111°E |
| Owner | The Lindsay family |
Hedingham Castle is a very old castle in the village of Castle Hedingham, Essex, England. It has one of the best-preserved Norman keeps in the country. A keep is the strongest, main tower of a castle. The castle's defenses and other buildings were first built around 1100. The main keep was added around 1140. Today, the keep is the only large medieval part left. It is a very important historical building and is open for people to visit.
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Exploring Hedingham Castle
Hedingham Castle was given to Aubrey de Vere I by William the Conqueror around 1086. The de Vere family built the castle in the late 1000s and early 1100s. The tall keep was built between 1130 and 1140. To make space for the castle, a big ditch was dug. This ditch cut through a natural hill leading to the Colne Valley. This created a strong, round defense called a ringwork and an inner bailey. An outer bailey stretched further into the valley, where the village of Castle Hedingham is now. The stone keep is the only medieval building that still stands, and it is in great condition.
The Castle Keep: A Closer Look
The keep at Hedingham is almost square. This was a common shape for Norman keeps. Its east and west sides are about 16 meters (53 feet) long. The north and south sides are about 17.5 meters (58 feet) long. The main part of the keep stands over 21 meters (70 feet) tall. The towers on top rise another 4.5 to 7.5 meters (15 to 25 feet). From its high spot, the castle overlooks the land around it.
The walls of the keep are very thick. They are about 3.3 meters (11 feet) wide at the bottom. At the top, they are still about 3 meters (10 feet) thick. The walls are made of flint stones held together with mortar. What's special is that the outside of the walls is covered with smooth, cut stones called ashlar. These stones were brought all the way from a quarry in Barnack, Northamptonshire. This was very unusual for a castle in Essex.
The keep has five floors inside. One of the most important rooms is the Great Hall, also called the Banqueting Hall. It has a huge fireplace and a large arch that goes up two floors. The very top floor might have been added around the 1400s. It probably replaced an older, pyramid-shaped roof. Some people think Hedingham Castle looks a lot like Rochester Castle, which was started around 1126. Rochester Castle also has four floors and four towers.
Over the years, the castle changed. During the Tudor period, some parts were rebuilt. Two of the original four corner towers are now gone. They were likely removed to get stone for new building projects by King Henry VII. Other buildings like the old hall and drawbridge were also replaced during the Tudor times. Sadly, most of those new structures are also gone today.
One part that remains is a red-brick bridge. It has four arches and connects the inner castle area to the outer area. This bridge was built in the late 1400s or early 1500s. It has been repaired many times since then. There used to be a chapel, a small church, south of the stone keep.
Around 1700, a new mansion was built. It was made of red brick in the Queen Anne style. Sir William Ashhurst, a Member of Parliament and former Lord Mayor of London, built it. He bought the castle in 1693, and the mansion was finished before he died in 1719.
A Look at Hedingham Castle's Past
Hedingham Castle might have been built on the site of an even older castle. This first castle was likely built in the late 1000s or early 1100s. It was built by Aubrey de Vere I, a powerful Norman lord. Hedingham was one of the biggest estates he owned. The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, shows that he owned Hedingham. He even ordered that vineyards be planted there. Hedingham became the main home for the de Vere family.
Important People and Events
Two other important members of the de Vere family, Aubrey de Vere II and Aubrey III, might have started building the big stone tower. They probably wanted to show how important their family had become. In 1133, Aubrey II became the "master chamberlain" of England. This was a very important job for King Henry I. In 1141, his son Aubrey III was given the title of Earl of Oxford by Empress Matilda. He was already a Count in France because of his wife's family.
A famous queen, Matilda of Boulogne, who was the wife of King Stephen, died at Hedingham Castle on May 3, 1152. The castle was attacked twice, in 1216 and 1217. These attacks happened during a fight between King John, some rebellious lords, and a French prince. Both times, the sieges were short, and the attackers quickly took the castle.
The de Vere family owned Hedingham Castle for a very long time. There was a short break during the Wars of the Roses. This was a series of wars fought over who should be king of England. In 1462, John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford, was executed for going against King Edward IV. Edward then gave Hedingham to his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (who later became King Richard III). Richard then gave it to Henry Barley, who was a sheriff. After Barley died, it went to Sir John Howard. He was a supporter of the York family in the wars.
After King Richard III died in 1485, the new king, Henry VII, gave Hedingham back to the de Vere family. It went to John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, who had supported Henry VII.
In 1713, William Ashhurst bought the castle. After he died in 1720, the estate went to his great-granddaughter, Margaret Elizabeth Lindsay. She was married to Lewis Majendie. The Majendie family owned Hedingham Castle for 250 years. Then, Musette Majendie left it to her cousin, The Honourable Thomas Lindsay. He was related to the de Veres on both his mother's and father's sides. Today, his son Jason Lindsay and his wife Demetra live at Hedingham Castle with their children.
Hedingham Castle Today
Hedingham Castle is still a family home. But the Norman keep and the castle grounds are open to the public. You can visit from Easter until October. Schools also bring students for educational trips throughout the year.
The castle grounds are a popular place for many events. These include:
- Jousting (knights fighting on horseback)
- Archery (bow and arrow shooting)
- Falconry (training birds of prey)
- Re-enactment battles (people acting out old battles)
- Fairs
- Shows for classic and vintage cars
- Music concerts
- Theatre plays
The castle and its other buildings are also used for weddings and parties. Many people say Hedingham Castle has "the best preserved Norman keep in England."
Filming and Photography at the Castle
Hedingham Castle has been used as a location for many films and TV shows.
- In 2010, The Landscape of Man on Channel 4 showed how the castle grounds were restored. They had become wild during the 1900s.
- The castle was used for the movie The Reckoning (2004).
- It also appeared in the BBC series Ivanhoe (1997).
- In 2001, the pop group Steps filmed part of their music video for "Words Are Not Enough" inside the castle.
Several documentaries have also filmed at Hedingham Castle:
- Made in Britain (2005) with Fred Dibnah
- The Shakespeare Theory (2013) with Derek Jacobi
- A History of Britain with Simon Schama
In 1997, a photo-shoot for Vanity Fair magazine took place there. It featured fashion designers Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow. You can see this photograph at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
The castle is also where John Cleese films his show The Dinosaur Hour for GB News.
