Muncaster Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Muncaster Castle |
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| Location | Lake District National Park |
| Area | Cumberland |
| Built | 13th century |
| Rebuilt | 1862–1866 |
| Architect | Anthony Salvin |
| Owner | Private |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Muncaster Castle | |
| Designated | 7 September 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1068780 |
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Muncaster Castle is a historic castle in Cumbria, England. It sits high above the River Esk. The castle is about one mile east of the coastal town of Ravenglass. It is a very important building, listed as a Grade I historic site.
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History of Muncaster Castle
The name "Muncaster" comes from an older name, "Mulcaster." This name was first recorded around 1150. The word "Muncaster" might come from the Latin word castra. This means "encampment" or "fort."
Experts think the castle might be built on old Roman foundations. These could have been part of a small Roman fort. This fort would have been connected to the larger Roman fort of Glannoventa nearby.
The land where Muncaster Castle stands was given to Alan de Penitone in 1208. The oldest parts of the castle are from the 13th and 14th centuries. These include the Great Hall and a special type of watchtower called a pele tower. Pele towers were common along the border between England and Scotland. They helped protect against attacks.
Between 1860 and 1866, the castle was greatly changed. An architect named Anthony Salvin redesigned parts of it. Later, another famous architect, Edwin Lutyens, was asked to make more changes. However, these plans did not happen. Lutyens did design the Muncaster War Memorial in 1922.
During World War II, Muncaster Castle played a special role. About 700 artworks from the Tate Gallery were moved there. They were kept safe from bombings. These included paintings by famous artists like Turner, Manet, and Van Gogh.
Gardens and Attractions
Muncaster Castle has beautiful gardens. They are designed to show off amazing views of the Esk Valley and the mountains. There is also an aviary at the castle. It is home to many different owls and other birds of prey. You can watch daily flying displays of these birds.
Inside the castle grounds, there is also an indoor maze. This maze is themed around the life of a field vole. It's a fun way to learn about nature.
Owners and Visitors
The Pennington family has owned Muncaster Castle for over 800 years. It is still their family home today. For many years, Phyllida Gordon-Duff-Pennington and her husband Patrick worked hard. They restored the castle and made it a popular place for visitors and events.
Today, Peter and Iona Frost-Pennington own the castle. Their son Ewan helps manage it. More than 90,000 people visit Muncaster Castle every year. In 2021, the castle received money from the government's Culture Recovery Fund. This helped support its ongoing work.
Muncaster Castle also hosts a weekly 5k run. It's called the Muncaster Castle parkrun. It takes place every Saturday morning.
The Luck of Muncaster
There is a special story about Muncaster Castle called "The Luck of Muncaster." After a big battle in 1461, King Henry VI needed a safe place. He found shelter at Muncaster Castle with Sir John Pennington.
As a thank you, King Henry gave Sir John a special drinking bowl. It was made of Venetian glass. The King made a wish for the Pennington family. He said, "As long as this bowl remains unriven, Penningtons from Muncaster never shall be driven." This means as long as the glass bowl doesn't break, the Pennington family will always live at Muncaster. The bowl is still at the castle today and is still in one piece!
Tom Fool
A famous medieval jester named Thomas Skelton worked for the Pennington family. People say he was the original "Tom Fool." He might even have inspired the character of the fool in Shakespeare's play King Lear. A painting of Thomas Skelton hangs inside the castle.
Muncaster Castle holds an annual competition in his honor. It celebrates jesting and comedy.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
- Listed buildings in Muncaster
- List of work on castles and country houses by Anthony Salvin
- Luck of Edenhall
- Castles in England
- List of historic houses in England
