Laxton Castle facts for kids
Laxton Castle is an old medieval castle built around the late 1000s or early 1100s. You can find it north of the village of Laxton in Nottinghamshire, England. Experts say it's a great example of an early castle because its two courtyards are still in very good shape. This makes it a valuable place to study how castles were built long ago.
Today, you can still see the remaining earthworks (shapes made in the ground) and masonry (stone) ruins. Since 2003, archaeologists from Birmingham University and the University of Nottingham have been studying them. The land where the castle ruins sit was also home to a large house called Laxton Hall, built in the 1500s.
Building a Medieval Castle
The first castle built here was a type called a motte-and-bailey castle. This means it had a large earth mound (the motte) with a wooden or stone tower on top. Below the motte were one or more enclosed courtyards (the bailey), protected by ditches and fences.
This castle was likely built soon after the Normans took over England in 1066. It might have been ordered by Geoffrey Alselin, who received the land. However, it was more likely built by his son-in-law, Robert de Caux, who made Laxton his main home. Building an inner courtyard was a common feature for these smaller Norman castles.
Later, the castle might have been improved when Robert de Caux became the official keeper of the Royal Forests in Nottingham and Derbyshire. We don't know how much King John changed the castle when he took it over for a few years in 1204.
In 1230, the Everingham family took over the castle and its title. But they lost the title in 1286. The castle was no longer strong enough to support the family, so they moved to other land in Yorkshire. After this, the castle slowly fell apart.
Experts have noted how strong the castle's defenses were. They pointed out the large outer courtyard and the tough defenses of the main courtyard. The main tower (keep) was placed on the edge of a steep natural slope. There were also guarded paths leading to the castle. All these features show how important Laxton Castle was during its early days. Back then, powerful lords often fought to gain and hold land.
Laxton Hall: A Later Home
By the 1500s, Laxton Castle was already in ruins. In 1408, the Roos family bought the property. They decided to build a new home there. It was a brick manor house with three gables, and they called it "Laxton Hall."
Over the next two centuries, the property changed hands many times. In 1788, it came into the possession of Charles Pierrepont, 1st Earl Manvers. His family owned it until 1952, when they sold it to the Ministry of Agriculture.
In 1981, the Crown Estate Commissioners bought the property.
