Ince Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ince Castle |
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| Cornwall, England | |
Ince Castle
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 Ince Castle
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| Coordinates | 50°23′24″N 4°15′18″W / 50.3899284°N 4.25513°W |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
Gardens occasionally open |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Brick |
Ince Castle is a special house located about three miles (5 km) from Saltash in Cornwall, England, UK. Even though it's called a "castle," it's actually a large manor house made of brick. It was built in 1642, right when the English Civil War began, and was captured in 1646 during that war.
This unique house has four towers, each three stories tall, with very thick walls (about 1.2 meters!). It also features a classic-looking entrance and rectangular windows. After being sold in the 1850s, it was used as a farm and became quite old and covered in ivy by the 1900s. Sadly, it burned down in 1988, but it has since been beautifully rebuilt.
Contents
The Story of Ince Castle
Where the Name Ince Comes From
The house sits on a piece of land that sticks out into the River Lynher. This is where its name comes from! "Ince" is a form of the Cornish word enys, which means "island."
Early Days and Changes
The very first house on this spot might have been built by the Courtenay family in the late 1300s. Later, the Killigrew family took over and completely changed the house. Henry Killigrew, who was a Member of Parliament (MP) for West Looe and supported the King during the Civil War, updated the house around 1642.
Owners Through the Years
From the 1840s, the land around Ince Castle was farmed by members of the same family for many years. It was known as Ince Barton and was about 90 acres (360,000 square meters) in size.
Later, in the 1920s and 1930s, a man named H. R. "Bobby" Somerset owned Ince. He was famous for his yacht, Jolie Brise, which won the Fastnet Race many times. He kept his yacht in the boathouse at Ince Castle. After him, a Scottish yachtsman named James Bryce Allan and his wife, actress Rita Jolivet, lived there.
In 1960, Patricia, Viscountess Boyd, bought the house. She was the daughter of Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh. Her husband, Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton, was a well-known politician who had been the Colonial Secretary.
Fire and Rebuilding
Around the time the Boyds owned the house, French windows were added on the lower floor to let in more light. Then, in 1988, a terrible fire damaged the house. But it was rebuilt, and a new roof was put on, along with a second kitchen. The current owners, the Viscount and Viscountess Boyd of Merton, moved into Ince Castle in 1994. The house and its beautiful gardens are sometimes open for visitors to see. In 2018, the house was sold to a new owner.
Exploring the Gardens
The gardens at Ince Castle are truly lovely! There's a paved courtyard with special plants like a Magnolia delavayi and two large Magnolia grandiflora trees. On the south side, you'll find a sunken garden filled with many different kinds of plants.
Curved garden beds are placed in the lawn, planted with shrubs and colorful flowers. If you walk towards the northeast, you'll find a cherry tree path that leads to a woodland garden. Close to the house, there are two contrasting gardens: one is a "white garden" with only white flowers, and the other has warm-colored plants and interesting grey leaves.
