Severndroog Castle facts for kids
Severndroog Castle is a special kind of building called a folly. A folly is a building made to look interesting, often like a castle, but it's not used for defense or living in like a real castle. This one was designed by an architect named Richard Jupp. Its first stone was placed on April 2, 1784.
Even though it looks like a castle with its towers, it's quite small. It was never meant to be a real castle. You can find it in Oxleas Wood, on Shooter's Hill in south-east London. This area is part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
The castle was built to remember a brave naval officer, Commodore Sir William James. In April 1755, he led an attack that destroyed a fortress called Suvarnadurg in India. This fortress was part of the Maratha Empire. Sir William James passed away in 1783. His wife, Lady James of Eltham, built Severndroog Castle as a memorial to him.
Severndroog Castle is considered a very important historical building. It's a Grade II* listed building since 1954. The castle is built in the Gothic style. It stands 63 feet (about 19 meters) tall. It has a unique triangular shape with a six-sided tower at each corner. From its high spot, you can see amazing views across London. On a clear day, you can even see parts of seven different counties!
A Look at Severndroog Castle's Past
This unique tower was once used for important scientific work. General William Roy used it for a special survey. This survey helped connect the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London with the Paris Observatory in France. They used a large measuring tool called a theodolite on the castle's roof. This survey was so important that it led to the creation of the Ordnance Survey. The Ordnance Survey is still responsible for making maps of Great Britain today! Later, in 1848, the Royal Engineers also used the castle for their survey of London.
After Lady James passed away in 1798, the castle was owned by several different people. These included John Blades, who was a former Sheriff of London. A man named Mr. Barlow, who owned ships, also owned it. He even built a house nearby called Castle Wood House. Later, Thomas Jackson, a railway and docks contractor, owned it. In 1845, a diarist named William Copeland Astbury visited the tower. He wrote down details about its layout and who owned it. In 1922, the London County Council bought the tower. It became a popular place for visitors, with a tearoom on the ground floor. In 1986, the responsibility for Severndroog Castle went to Greenwich Council.
Saving the Castle: A Community Effort
By 1988, the local council could no longer afford to take care of the building. So, the castle was closed and boarded up. But people in the community wanted to save it! In 2002, a group called the Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust was formed. They worked hard to get support for the castle.
In 2004, the castle was even featured on a BBC TV show called Restoration. This helped to get more people interested in restoring the building. The goal was to fix it up and open it to the public again.
Thanks to a grant of £595,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, renovation work began in July 2013. The castle was officially reopened to the public on July 20, 2014. Today, you can visit the castle and explore its history. You can also rent parts of it for private events.
The Green Chain Walk and Capital Ring are long walking paths that go right past the castle. These paths take you through Eltham Common and Castle Wood, between Shooter's Hill and Eltham.
Images for kids
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Viewing platform
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View towards the northwest
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First floor
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Second floor
