Mulgrave Castle facts for kids
Mulgrave Castle is actually three different buildings that have stood on the same land near Whitby, Yorkshire, England. The first was an "ancient" castle, said to be built by a legendary ruler named Wada long ago.
The second was a Norman castle. It was an important stronghold until it was destroyed in 1647. The third building is a large country house. It was built by Lady Catherine Darnley and later became home to the Phipps family. This family eventually held important titles like Baron Mulgrave and Earl of Mulgrave.
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History of Mulgrave Castle
The Ancient Castle
Local stories from the 1800s say that the very first castle at Mulgrave was built by a giant named Wada. He was a ruler from a place called Hälsingland. Old writings from the 1500s also mention legends about Wada. People believed he built many castles and roads across Yorkshire.
The Norman Castle
The second castle was built by the Normans. It covered the whole top of a ridge. It was likely built by Nigel Fossard around 1120. He received the land after the Norman Conquest of England.
Nigel Fossard was a very important landowner. He controlled many estates in Yorkshire. Mulgrave became the main base for his large landholdings. The castle had a main entrance on the west side. Two stone towers guarded this entrance. Moats, which are deep ditches, protected the castle from other directions. This meant people could only enter over a drawbridge.
Some of the stones used to build the castle were very old. They were even from Roman times. Over the years, different families owned the castle. These included the de Mauley family and the Bigot family.
The de Mauley family became very powerful. One of them, Peter III de Mauley, was even called to join the English Parliament in 1296. His family's coat of arms was a gold shield with a black stripe.
Later, the castle passed to the Sheffield family in 1625. Lord Sheffield was given the title Earl of Mulgrave by King Charles I. During the English Civil War, soldiers loyal to the King used the castle. However, Parliament ordered the castle to be destroyed in 1647. It seems they might have used gunpowder to blow it up.
The Present Manor
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The third and current Mulgrave Castle is a large mansion. It was built by Lady Catherine Darnley. She was the daughter of King James II of England. In 1718, the property went to the Phipps family. This happened when Lady Catherine's daughter married William Phipps.
A small building called a summer house was also built on the grounds. Legend says it stands where a hermit once lived in 1150. In 1858, Duleep Singh, the last ruler of Punjab, rented Mulgrave Castle.
Today, the property is still owned by the Phipps family. The current owner is Constantine Phipps, 5th Marquess of Normanby. In 2003, famous supermodel Elle Macpherson rented part of the large Mulgrave estate. This estate is known for its beautiful hunting grounds. She also had the right to live in the castle during the hunting season.
Images for kids
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Mulgrave Castle
