Tamworth Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tamworth Castle |
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| Tamworth, Staffordshire, United Kingdom | |
Tamworth Castle
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 Tamworth Castle
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| Coordinates | 52°37′58″N 1°41′48″W / 52.63278°N 1.69667°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Tamworth Borough Council |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1080s |
| Built by | Robert le Despencer |
Tamworth Castle is a very old Norman castle in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It stands high above where the River Anker flows into the Tame. This castle is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's super important historically.
Even though it's in Staffordshire now, before 1889, part of the castle was actually in Warwickshire. The spot where the castle stands was once home to the kings of Mercia during Anglo Saxon times. But it was left empty after the Viking invasions. The Normans later rebuilt and made it stronger. Today, it's one of the best-preserved motte-and-bailey castles in England. A motte-and-bailey castle has a mound (motte) with a tower and a walled courtyard (bailey).
Contents
History of Tamworth Castle
Early Beginnings
Around 781 AD, Offa, a powerful ruler of the Mercian kingdom, built a palace in Tamworth. This made Tamworth a very important place. But in 874, Viking attackers destroyed the town. It was left in ruins for almost 40 years.
Then, in 913, Æthelflæd, a strong leader known as the Lady of the Mercians, rebuilt Tamworth. She added an earthen wall, called a burh, to protect the town. Sadly, this didn't stop the Danes from attacking and destroying it again in 943.
For many years after that, Tamworth wasn't a royal home anymore. But it still had a mint that made coins for kings.
Norman Castle Builders
After the Normans took over England, William the Conqueror gave the land to his steward, Robert Despenser. In the 1080s, Robert built a wooden castle. It was a typical Norman motte and bailey design. This wooden castle was the first version of the stone castle we see today.
When Robert Despenser died without children, the castle went to his nieces. One niece, Matilida, married Robert Marmion. The Marmion family then owned the castle for over 190 years. They were famous as the champions of the Dukes of Normandy and later the Kings of England.
During the Marmion family's time, the castle started to be rebuilt with stone. But there was a time it almost got torn down! In 1215, Robert Marmion, 3rd Baron Marmion of Tamworth, went against King John. The king ordered Robert's son to be jailed and the castle to be destroyed. Luckily, King John died the next year, and Robert's sons got their lands back. The castle was only partly damaged.
New Owners and Changes
The last male Marmion owner was Philip Marmion. He had no sons, so the castle passed to his daughter. After she died, it went to her niece, Joan. Joan was married to Sir Alexander Freville. Their family then owned the castle until 1423.
After the Freville family, the castle passed to Elizabeth, the eldest daughter, and her husband, Thomas Ferrers of Groby. The Ferrers family made many changes to the castle over the years. Especially during the Jacobean period, which was in the 1600s. You can still see their family symbols inside the castle today.
The castle has a round outer wall called a shell keep. Inside, there's a gate tower from the 1100s. There are also living areas built in the 1200s and 1600s. These parts are connected by a large wooden Great Hall from the 1400s. A cool old feature outside is the herring-bone pattern of masonry at the bottom of the path leading to the gate tower. This pattern looks like fish bones laid diagonally.
The Castle in Modern Times
Long ago, you entered the castle grounds through a gateway near the town's market. By the 1500s, parts of the outer walls were falling apart. But the main stone tower was still standing and being used as a home.
Even though it was a home, the castle was built for medieval battles. During the English Civil War, Parliament's army captured it in 1643 after just two days. They kept soldiers there. Because it was used by the army, the castle was saved from being destroyed, which happened to many other castles back then.
After 1668, the castle changed hands a few times through family marriages. It fell into disrepair again for a while. But then, Charlotte Compton married George Townshend, and they fixed it up.
In 1814, an auctioneer named John Robbins bought the castle. But after he died, it went back to the Townshend family.
The old moat on the town side was no longer used. In 1810, a new gatehouse was built, and a road led up to the castle entrance. The famous artist J. M. W. Turner even painted the castle in 1832.
The castle also appeared briefly in Walter Scott’s poem Marmion in 1808.
Finally, in 1891, the Marquess Townshend put the castle up for sale. Tamworth Corporation (now Tamworth Borough Council) bought it in 1897 for £3,000. This was to celebrate Queen Victoria's 60th year as queen. In 1899, it opened to the public as a museum.
Royal Visitors
Many kings have visited Tamworth Castle after the Norman Conquest:
- King Henry I (between 1109 and 1115)
- King Henry II (1158, with Thomas Becket)
- King Henry III (1257)
- King Edward II (1325)
- King Edward III (1330)
- King James I (1619, with his son Prince Charles)
See also
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- List of Grade I listed buildings in Staffordshire
- Listed buildings in Tamworth, Staffordshire
- Mercian Trail
- Tamworth Castle Website
Images for kids
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Early Norman herringbone masonry on the castle causeway
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The ground plan of Tamworth Castle
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View of the bandstand, flower terraces and river bank in the Castle Pleasure Grounds
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