Moor End Castle facts for kids
Moor End Castle was once a small castle in a village called Yardley Gobion in Northamptonshire, England. Today, not much is left of it, but it has an interesting history, including visits from a king!
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What Was Moor End Castle?
The site of Moor End Castle is found near Moor End Farm. It was also known as Moreende a long time ago. This castle wasn't a huge, grand fortress like some you might imagine. Instead, it was more like a fortified house.
Building the Castle
The castle was first built in 1347. A man named Thomas de Ferrers was given special permission to "crenellate" his house at Moor End. To "crenellate" means to add battlements to the top of a building. These are the notched walls you often see on castles, which were used for defense.
Royal Visits and Changes
After Thomas de Ferrers, the castle was sold to the king in 1363. King Edward III often visited Moor End during the 1360s. He liked the place so much that he made some changes. He built a special royal room for himself and a royal chapel. He also rebuilt the main entrance, which was called a gatehouse, because it was quite old and falling apart.
What Happened to the Castle?
Over the next 200 years, Moor End Castle had many different owners. Some were kings or queens, and others were regular people. By 1580, the castle was in very bad shape. People described it as "utterly decayed," meaning it was completely ruined. There was no wood or stone left standing.
In the 1600s and 1700s, the area where the castle once stood was known as Castle Yard. In the 1830s, a farmer digging in the area found more than 2,000 yards of stone. This stone was likely from the old castle foundations.
Moor End Castle Today
By the 1970s, the only part of the castle that could still be seen was its moat. A moat is a deep, wide ditch, often filled with water, that surrounds a castle for protection. This moat was fed by a small stream.
Today, all that remains of Moor End Castle is a wooded area. This area is like a small island, surrounded by the old moat. It's a quiet reminder of a royal past.
