Newbury Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newbury Castle |
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| West Berkshire, Berkshire, England | |
 Newbury Castle
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| Coordinates | 51°23′56″N 1°23′42″W / 51.399°N 1.395°W |
| Type | Castle |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Earthworks |
Newbury Castle was a special kind of castle built in England. It was built by a powerful knight named John Marshal. This happened during a tough time in English history called The Anarchy. The castle was located near the town of Newbury in Berkshire.
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What Was Newbury Castle?
Newbury Castle was an "adulterine castle." This means it was built without the king's permission. During The Anarchy, England had a civil war. People built castles like this to protect their lands. They also used them to fight against others.
A Castle Under Attack
The story of Newbury Castle is famous. It is told in a book called 'History of William the Marshal'. In 1152, King Stephen attacked Newbury Castle. He wanted John Marshal to give up the castle. To make him surrender, King Stephen took John's young son, William Marshal, as a hostage.
The Brave Hostage
King Stephen threatened to throw young William over the castle walls. He planned to use a large machine called a catapult. But John Marshal was very brave. He famously replied, "I have the anvils and the hammer to forge still better sons." This meant he would not give up. King Stephen was angry and called John Marshal a "child of hell." But in the end, King Stephen did not hurt William. The boy survived, and he later became a very famous knight.
Where Was the Castle Really?
Newbury Castle is shown on the town's coat of arms. But it seems the castle was not actually in Newbury. It was built about four miles away. This was in the village of Hamstead Marshall. There, you can still see the remains of three castles. These were "motte-and-bailey" castles. A motte is a large mound of earth. A bailey is a walled area next to it. Building multiple castles was a common plan during siege warfare in the medieval period. This helped to surround and capture an enemy's area.
