Lulworth Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lulworth Castle |
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Lulworth Castle after restoration
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| Type | House/castle |
| Location | East Lulworth, Dorset, England |
| Built | 1588–1609 |
| Built for | Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon |
| Architect | attributed to Inigo Jones |
| Architectural style(s) | Elizabethan-Jacobean, Adam style interior |
| Governing body | Family owned |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Lulworth Castle | |
| Designated | 30 November 1959 |
| Reference no. | 1323323 |
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| Official name: Lulworth Castle | |
| Designated: | 26 October 1954 |
| Reference #: | 1016069 |
Lulworth Castle is a cool old building in East Lulworth, Dorset, England. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1600s. It looks like a castle but was actually a fancy hunting lodge. It's one of only a few buildings like it from that time.
This castle is a very important historical site. It is protected by Historic England as a "scheduled monument" and is also "Grade I listed." This means it's a top-level historic building. A big fire damaged its beautiful inside in 1929. But don't worry, it has been fixed up and is now a museum you can visit! The castle stands in a large area called Lulworth Park. The park and gardens around the castle are also protected because they are historically important.
History of Lulworth Castle
Building Lulworth Castle started in 1588 and finished in 1609. It was built for Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon. He was a grandson of a powerful duke. People think the famous architect Inigo Jones might have designed it. Viscount Bindon said that a friend, Robert Cecil, gave him the idea for the castle.
The castle was changed and updated several times over the years. Important families like the Welds owned it. In the 1780s, an architect named John Tasker updated the inside. He also built a special Catholic chapel nearby. Some people think Lulworth Castle was built to show off, like other "mock castles" of that time. Wealthy landowners already had homes but wanted a grand castle too!
In 1641, a man named Humphrey Weld bought the castle. This was during the English Civil War. The castle was taken over by the Roundheads, who used it as a military base. After the war, Weld got his castle back. His family kept it, even though they sometimes had money problems. They made sure their children married into wealthy families to help the estate.
Later, Thomas Weld inherited the castle. He was only 25. He worked hard to make the inside of the castle beautiful again. He added many books to the amazing library. He even hosted King George III at Lulworth! Thomas and his wife had many children. Their family has owned Lulworth Castle for a very long time, right up to today.
After the French Revolution, members of the French royal family stayed at Lulworth Castle for a while. Later, Charles X of France and his family also stayed there briefly in 1830.
St Mary's Chapel
In 1786, Thomas Weld built a Catholic church called St. Mary's Chapel on the castle grounds. He needed special permission from King George III to build it. The King said it was okay, as long as it didn't look like a church from the outside! This was the first Catholic chapel built in England since the time of the Protestant Reformation. It was designed to look like an ancient Greek building. This chapel is also a "Grade I listed" building.
In 1790, an American friend of Thomas Weld, John Carroll, became the first Catholic bishop in the United States right here in the chapel! Another bishop, John Douglass, was also made a bishop in the chapel that same year.
Castle Restoration
On August 29, 1929, a big fire badly damaged the castle. It was left as a ruin with no roof. The Weld family then built a new home nearby.
In the 1970s, work began to fix the castle. English Heritage helped with the restoration. The work finished in 1998. They put on a new roof and fixed the remaining walls inside. They didn't rebuild all the inner rooms or upper floors, but they made it safe and beautiful again.
In 1986, a man named William Drake fixed the old organ in the Catholic Chapel. This project got attention from all over the world.
Today, the Weld family still owns Lulworth Castle. It's a popular place for tourists to visit. They even have medieval-themed events there! Part of the Lulworth Estate is used by the military for training. It's also a special area for wildlife. Since 2017, the castle grounds have been used for the Bestival music festival. The main stage is set up right in front of the castle.
Images for kids
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Lulworth Castle in the park
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Lulworth Castle, Triangular Lodges
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Lulworth Castle stables (1932)
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Roof from interior
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Castle Interior
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Castle kitchen
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Castle vaulted cellar
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