Sherborne Castle facts for kids
Sherborne Castle is a beautiful old house in Dorset, England. It was built in the 1500s during the Tudor period by a famous adventurer, Sir Walter Raleigh. People sometimes call it Sherborne New Castle to tell it apart from the even older castle nearby. This grand house sits in a huge park that is about 1,200 acres big!
In the same park, you can find the amazing ruins of the 12th-century Sherborne Old Castle. This older castle is now looked after by English Heritage, a group that protects historic places.
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The Old Castle's Story
The building we now call Sherborne Old Castle was first built in the 1100s. It was a strong, fortified palace for Roger de Caen, who was both a Bishop and an important government official.
In the early 1140s, during a time of war called the Anarchy, the Old Castle was captured. It was seen as a very important place, almost like "the master-key of the whole kingdom."
How the New Castle Began
Sir Walter Raleigh was a well-known explorer and favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. He passed through Sherborne on his way to Plymouth and absolutely loved the area. Queen Elizabeth then allowed him to use the land in 1592.
Instead of fixing up the old, ruined castle, Raleigh decided to build a brand new house. He wanted a place to stay when he visited. He finished his new house, called Sherborne Lodge, in 1594. It was a four-story brick building. It had four towers at its corners, which looked a bit like they were for defense, perhaps as a nod to the old castle. One clever thing about it was that the main entrance was hidden inside one of these corner towers. This made the front of the house look perfectly balanced and beautiful.
The Digby Family and the Civil War
Sir Walter Raleigh later faced trouble and was put in the Tower of London. In 1617, King James I first leased and then sold the estate to Sir John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol.
In the 1620s, the Digby family made the house much bigger. They added four new sections, or wings, to Sherborne Lodge. These new parts were built in a style that matched Raleigh's original design. This is how the house became the large mansion we know today as Sherborne Castle or Sherborne New Castle.
During the English Civil War, the Digby family supported King Charles I. Sherborne was a strong Royalist area. The old, fortified castle was fought over many times. It was captured by Parliament's army in 1642, then taken back by the Royalists in 1643.
In 1645, a large army led by Sir Thomas Fairfax surrounded the old castle. After a lot of fighting and bombing, the Royalist soldiers inside had to give up. In October 1645, the old castle was badly damaged on purpose so it could not be used again. This is why it is still in ruins today.
Gardens and Modern Times
From the 1700s onwards, the Digby family worked on making the castle gardens beautiful. William, 5th Lord Digby, and later his relatives, created the gardens you see today.
A very famous landscape designer named Capability Brown designed the large lake in 1753. This lake helps separate the new castle from the ruins of the old one. The old castle ruins are a special part of the garden design, looking dramatic across the water.
In 1789, King George III visited the house and gardens. The Digby family still owns the property today. The mansion was updated in the 1800s by an architect named Philip Charles Hardwick.
During the First World War, Sherborne Castle was used as a hospital by the Red Cross. In the Second World War, it became an important headquarters for the soldiers who were preparing for the D-Day landings.
Visiting Sherborne Castle Today
Both the mansion and the ruins of the old castle are very important historic buildings. They are listed as "Grade I," which means they are of exceptional interest. Other buildings on the estate, like the stables, greenhouse, and dairy, are also listed for their historical value.
The beautiful gardens are also very important and are listed as "Grade I" in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Today, you can visit the gardens for most of the year. The mansion itself is open to the public on many Saturdays. The estate often holds fun events like concerts and fireworks. The old castle ruins are managed by English Heritage and can be visited separately.
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