Portchester Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portchester Castle |
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| Portchester, Hampshire | |
The inner bailey
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 Portchester Castle
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| Coordinates | 50°50′12″N 1°06′47″W / 50.836546°N 1.113034°W grid reference SU624045 |
| Official name | Portchester Castle |
| Designated | 13 January 1915 |
| Reference no. | 1015698 |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name | Portchester Castle |
| Designated | 18 October 1955 |
| Reference no. | 1229190 |
Portchester Castle is an old fortress from the Middle Ages. It was built inside the walls of an even older Roman fort called Portus Adurni. This fort is located in Portchester, a town east of Fareham in Hampshire, England.
The main tower, called the keep, was likely built in the late 1000s. It started as a castle belonging to a powerful lord. In 1154, the King of England took control of Portchester. Kings owned the castle for many centuries. King John especially liked to use it as a hunting lodge.
In 1216, French forces attacked and captured the castle. But it soon returned to English control. Portchester was an important port in the Middle Ages. It sits at the top of Portsmouth Harbour. English kings often used the castle as a starting point for their armies heading to France.
In the early 1300s, King Edward II spent a lot of money to fix and strengthen Portchester Castle. He was worried about a French invasion. Later, a plan to overthrow King Henry V was discovered at Portchester. This event is even in Shakespeare's play, Henry V. Much later, the castle was used as a prison.
Today, Portchester Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This means it's a very important historical site. It's also a Grade I listed building, which is the highest protection for historic buildings. The castle has been owned by the Southwick Estate since the 1600s. However, English Heritage manages it, and it's open for visitors all year. There's also a Norman church, St. Mary's, inside the castle grounds.
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Why was Portchester Castle built?
People have known how important Portchester's location is since at least the 200s AD. That's when the Romans built a fort there. We don't know the exact year it was built. But it's thought that Emperor Diocletian ordered it between 285 and 290 AD. It was one of several Saxon Shore forts built along the British coast. These forts helped fight off pirate raids. Portchester was probably a base for the Classis Britannica, the Roman navy that protected Britain. It is the best-preserved Roman fort north of the Alps mountains.
The Roman army left Britain in the early 400s. But the fort was probably never completely empty. It was still used, but on a much smaller scale. In the 900s, a hall and tower were found inside the fort. This suggests it was a fancy home during the Saxon period. In 904, King Edward the Elder took control of Portchester. The fort became a burh, a fortified town. This helped defend the country against Viking attacks.
When was the Medieval Castle Built?
We're not sure exactly when the medieval castle was built. But it was probably in the late 1000s. After the Normans conquered England, the land of Portchester was given to William Maudit. He was a friend of William the Conqueror and a powerful lord. He likely built Portchester Castle.
We don't know what this early castle looked like exactly. But Maudit probably created the inner part of the castle. This was in the north-west corner of the Roman fort. At first, it might have had wooden fences and a ditch for protection. The original Roman stone walls of the fort would have protected the outer area. Maudit died around 1100. His property then went to his son, Robert Maudit. After Robert died in 1120, the family's lands went to William Pont de l'Arche through marriage.
The castle was likely rebuilt in stone around this time. The stone looks similar to St Mary's parish church, which was built in the 1130s. This church was built for a group of Augustinian monks. Pont de l'Arche started their priory (monastery) inside the castle in 1128. The monks later moved to a new site between 1147 and 1150.
William Pont de l'Arche probably owned Portchester Castle until he died in 1148. It's unclear who inherited it next. The first clear mention of the castle is from 1153. In that year, Henry Plantagenet (who later became King Henry II) gave the castle to Henry Maudit. But when Henry became King in 1154, he took control of Portchester Castle. It stayed under royal control for many centuries.
More records exist from when the castle was a royal fortress. For example, the royal accounts show that little money was spent on the main tower. This suggests it was mostly finished. In 1183, records show there were royal apartments separate from the tower. King Henry II often visited Portchester. He even met with a bishop there to discuss his disagreement with Thomas Becket. The castle was also used to imprison important people, like the Earl of Leicester. When Henry II's sons rebelled, Portchester was prepared for war. Catapults were made, and soldiers were stationed there.
Kings and Conflicts at Portchester
King John often stayed at Portchester Castle. He was there when he heard that England had lost control of Normandy in France in 1204. The Forest of Bere was nearby, making Portchester a good place for the king to relax and hunt. Portchester was also the starting point for trips to France in 1205 and 1213. King John tried to get Normandy back from Philip Augustus, the King of France, but he failed.
After signing the Magna Carta in 1215, King John asked the Pope to cancel it. As a result, his opponents were removed from the church. John then attacked Rochester Castle. The rebels asked France for help. They offered the English throne to Prince Louis, the French king's oldest son. Louis's plan worked well at first. He captured London and Winchester. Portchester Castle then surrendered to his forces in June 1216.
King John died on October 19, 1216. Nine days later, his oldest son was crowned King Henry. Louis's luck changed, and Portchester Castle was taken back by the English in the spring of 1217. There was a standoff between Henry III and Louis. But then the English won the Battle of Lincoln on May 20. Louis's supplies from France were cut off, so he was paid to leave England. Henry tried to get Normandy back, but he had to give up in 1259. Portchester was often a starting point for soldiers going to war.
For most of the 1200s, not much attention was paid to the castle's defenses. But near the end of the century, a wooden tower was built to strengthen the eastern Roman wall. During the time of King Edward II (1307–1327), people expected a French invasion. So, Portchester was prepared for battle. The Crown spent over £1,100 fixing and strengthening Portchester Castle between 1320 and 1326. The buildings inside the inner part of the castle were changed, and the outer gatehouses were made bigger.
Even with all the expensive work by Edward II, a report from 1335 said that many of the castle's buildings were falling apart. The south wall of the Roman fort was also damaged by the sea. King Edward III didn't stay at Portchester often. But in June 1346, he gathered his 15,000-strong army there. They then left for France on a campaign that ended with the English victory at the Battle of Crécy.
More work was done in the 1350s and 1360s. The living areas inside the castle were reorganized, and the sea wall was fixed. Between 1396 and 1399, the royal apartments that you can still see today (though they are ruins) were built for King Richard II.
In 1415, King Henry V was getting ready at Portchester Castle for a war in France. While at Portchester in July, a secret plan to overthrow Henry was discovered. This was known as the Southampton Plot. At the castle, he arrested the people involved: Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge, Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham, and Sir Thomas Grey. All three men were executed in early August.
In the 1400s, the nearby town of Portsmouth grew into an important port and economic center. It took over from Portchester as a military base. The castle then started to decline. A report from 1441 said the castle was "right ruinous and feeble" (very ruined and weak). Despite its condition, when Margaret of Anjou, wife of King Henry VI, arrived in England in 1445, Portchester Castle was chosen as her arrival port. The castle continued to be neglected until the late 1400s, when attempts were made to repair its buildings. When King Henry VIII visited with Queen Anne Boleyn in October 1535, it was the first time in over a century that the king or queen had been to the castle.
Between October 1562 and June 1563, the English controlled the port of Le Havre on France's northern coast. During this time, the castle was used as a military hospital for soldiers fighting in the conflict with France. As relations with Spain got worse, Queen Elizabeth I prepared Portchester Castle for war. She expected a Spanish invasion. At that time, Henry Radcliffe, who would later become the Earl of Sussex, was in charge of the castle.
On August 30, 1591, Queen Elizabeth visited the castle. But the floors of the royal rooms were rotten. So, she had dinner in the keeper's bedroom instead. The room was made fresh with plants like rue and hyssop. By 1603, the castle was in good enough shape for Elizabeth to hold court there. Sir Thomas Cornwallis was made in charge and updated the buildings along the eastern side of the inner castle area. A royal report from 1609 noted the castle's improved condition. It said that the buildings Cornwallis built had "four fair lodging chambers above and as many rooms for office below."
Portchester Castle as a Prison
The castle stopped being under royal control in 1632. King Charles I sold it to Sir William Uvedale. Since then, Portchester Castle has been passed down through his family, the Thistlethwaites. The castle didn't see fighting during the English Civil War. But for a short time in 1644, it was guarded by Parliamentarian soldiers.
One common use for castles was as a prison. From the late 1600s onwards, this became Portchester's most important job. In 1665, 500 prisoners from the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–1667) were held at the castle. Some were kept in the church in the outer castle area. They damaged the building by setting it on fire. The church wasn't repaired for about 40 years. Between 1702 and 1712, the Crown rented Portchester Castle to hold prisoners from the War of the Spanish Succession. The first detailed reports about the prisoners' conditions came from the mid-1700s.
It was last used in the 1800s as a jail. Over 7,000 French prisoners from the Napoleonic Wars were held there. Hospital Lane, which is next to the west side of the castle, was where the prison hospital was located. This building still exists today as Portchester House, a private home. Those who died in prison were often buried in what are now muddy areas south of the castle. Their remains are sometimes uncovered by storms.
Visiting Portchester Castle Today
Today, Portchester Castle is open to visitors. It's also used for fun activities. The inner part of the castle has displays and exhibits. The castle is a popular place for school trips. At high tide, people often fish for flounder and bass from the sea wall. The castle buildings are cared for by English Heritage.
Local Stories
A local story says that late in his life, Pontius Pilate was brought here by boat. He supposedly found his last safe place at Portchester.
See also
- Constable of Portchester Castle
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- HMS Portchester Castle
- List of castles in England
