Wisbech Castle facts for kids
Wisbech Castle was a strong castle built in 1072 by William I. It was located in Wisbech, which is now part of Cambridgeshire, England. The first castle was likely made of wood and earth. It was later rebuilt with stone in 1087.
The castle was reportedly destroyed by a big flood in 1236. In the 1400s, it was getting old and needed many repairs. So, a new building, called the Bishop's Palace, was started in 1478 by John Morton, who was the Bishop of Ely. His successor, John Alcock, finished the palace.
Later, during the Tudor times, the rebuilt castle became a well-known prison. The site was changed again in the mid-1600s and then in 1816 by Joseph Medworth. Today, the building known as The Castle is a Regency style house. It was given Grade II* listed status in 1983, meaning it's an important historical building. It now stands in the middle of a circus (a circular road).
Contents
Castle History
Early Years
The Domesday Book from 1086, which was a big survey of England, does not mention a castle in Wisbech.
King John visited the castle on October 12, 1216. He was traveling from Lynn to Lincolnshire. It is said that his baggage, including royal treasures, was lost while crossing a river or estuary nearby.
The castle and the town of Wisbech were badly damaged in a storm in 1236. However, the castle was rebuilt soon after, as a keeper was named in 1246. King Edward II of England visited the castle several times in the late 1200s and early 1300s.
In 1315, a merchant named Richard Lambert was imprisoned at Wisbech. He reported suffering greatly while in the castle's prison. The castle tower was repaired in 1332-1333, and a bakehouse wall was strengthened with bricks a year later.
In 1350, John de Walton was held in the castle. Also, the Bishop's Constable and his men were "besieged" by John de Stonore, a chief judge. The castle manor also received gifts of fish, like porpoise and swordfish, from nearby towns. In 1355, a marriage took place in the castle's chapel.
On July 23, 1381, Thomas Arundel, the Bishop of Ely, sent orders from Wisbech Castle. These orders were to punish those who were part of a rebellion in Cambridge.
In 1409, new gates and a bridge were built at the castle. More construction happened in 1410, including another bridge, a chapel inside, and a garden with a dove house. These were all surrounded by walls and a moat.
In 1410, John Colvile was the governor of the castle. His steel seal, showing a fortress, can be seen at the Wisbech & Fenland Museum. In 1414, prisoners taken by the Earl of Dorchester were held here.
By 1443, the parts of the castle called "Le Dungeon" were given to the Constable. From 1478 to 1483, the Bishop's Palace was built using bricks and Ketton stone. Its cellars and foundations can still be seen today.
The Castle as a Prison
Wisbech Castle was used as a prison because it was in a remote location. It took prisoners about three days to walk from Wisbech to London.
During Queen Mary's reign, when Roman Catholicism was brought back, Protestants were imprisoned at Wisbech. William Wolsey and Robert Piggott were held there before being executed.
In 1580, the castle was ordered to be ready for prisoners. The first ones arrived in October. In 1584, John Feckenham, a former abbot, died in the castle. He was imprisoned by Elizabeth I. While there, he is said to have paid for a market cross to be built in the town.
During Elizabeth I's reign, important Roman Catholics were imprisoned for political reasons, especially around the time of the Spanish Armada. Robert Catesby and Francis Tresham, who later planned the Gunpowder Plot, were reportedly held at Wisbech Castle in 1588.
By the end of the 1500s, 33 Catholics were held prisoner in Wisbech Castle. Most were priests, including Christopher Holywood and William Weston. A disagreement, known as the "Wisbech Stirs," happened among them. Some wanted to live a more structured, communal life, but space was limited. After some arguments, they separated in February 1595 but later reconciled in November of that year.
The 1600s
John and Robert Nutter were brothers who became priests. After returning to England, they were captured. Robert was imprisoned in Wisbech Castle. He later escaped but was recaptured and executed in 1600.
William Chester was the Constable of the castle from 1605 until he died there in 1608. A memorial to Matthias Taylor, another Constable, is in the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wisbech. During his time, eight Jesuits escaped from the castle. In 1616, a priest named Thomas Tunstal also escaped but was caught and executed. The castle stopped being used for religious prisoners in 1627.
During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell became governor of the Isle of Ely. He strengthened the castle and the town. Soldiers defended the town, and supplies came from a captured Dutch ship. In 1643, the castle helped protect the River Nene and block Royalist forces. The castle had "Great Guns" from Ely, and money was spent to fix the drawbridge. The castle's garrison fought in the surrounding Fenland.
After the war, John Thurloe, a Secretary of State, bought the castle estate. He demolished the Bishop's Palace and built a new mansion, which was later demolished around 1816. His new house and lands were later taken back by the Bishop of Ely.
Even after Thurloe's mansion was built, people were still imprisoned for their religious beliefs. In 1663, John Inds, a Quaker, was held in Wisbech Gaol for three years. The Southwell family then leased the castle for over 100 years.
The 1700s
In 1724, household goods were auctioned at the castle. In 1737, an advertisement for a "Milch Ass" (donkey) was placed, asking people to inquire at the castle.
In 1762, Henry Southwell, a merchant and local official, died at Wisbech. In 1778-1779, the Italian writer Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti stayed with the Southwell family at the castle. He later wrote about his visit, including attending races and a theatre show.
Edward Southwell, another member of the family, died in 1788. His furniture and belongings were sold at auction in 1791 because a sale was not allowed at the castle itself. Jane Southwell, the heiress of Wisbech Castle, later changed her name back to Southwell to inherit from her brother.
In 1793, an Act of Parliament allowed the Bishop of Ely to sell the castle. James Yorke, the Bishop, auctioned it off in six parts. Joseph Medworth bought all six parts for £2,305. In 1796, John Thelwall tried to give a lecture at the castle, but it was interrupted by disturbances.
The 1800s
Joseph Medworth became town bailiff in 1809. In 1811, he offered Thurloe's mansion and garden to the town for the Wisbech Grammar School, but they did not accept. Medworth then pulled down the mansion and used its materials to build his own villa, which is the building known as The Castle today.
William Richards, in his History of Lynn (1812), described the castle site. He noted that old buildings had been removed, and new houses were being built. He also mentioned a large "Circus" (circular road) being planned.
In January 1814, the castle was temporarily used by a school for young ladies. From about 1830 to the 1840s, W. Holmes ran a boarding school for young gentlemen at the castle.
In March 1864, the castle was sold at auction for £1,300 to William Peckover. It then stayed in his family. Sarah Hardman died at the castle in 1868. The school was still running in 1886. By 1888, F. W. Bradley lived there and invited archaeologists to view the grounds and vaults. His wife, May Bradley, also ran a private school at the castle.
The 1900s
At the start of the 1900s, F. W. Bradley, a dentist, was still living at The Castle. In 1900, his daughter was born there.
On May 16, 1903, a chimney fire set the castle roof on fire, taking 12 hours to put out. In the 1920s, the lawn was used as a tennis court. Bradley lived there as a tenant of Lord Peckover for 48 years until 1935. At this time, a statue of Mercury from Thurloe’s Mansion garden was still above the vaults.
In 1955, excavations in the Market Place found parts of a wall and a large moat. Pottery, leather shoes, and a 15th-century spur were found there.
After the death of A.P.D. Penrose, the castle was auctioned in October 1957. It was later bought by Mrs F. C. D. Fendick. Her husband, Tee Gordon Fendick, wrote an article about the castle in 1960. An Anglia Television report about the castle was shown in 1963.
After Mr. Fendick's death, Florence Fendick gave the castle to the Isle of Ely County Council in 1969. This council later merged to become Cambridgeshire County Council. In 1988, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester visited The Castle.
The castle was planned to be an educational museum for schools. A special room, the Fendick Room, was to be used for meetings. Leslie 'George' Anniss, a former custodian, researched and wrote A History of Wisbech Castle. In 1987, the Angles Theatre performed Romeo and Juliet outdoors, using the castle's balcony.
The 2000s
In September 2009, archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology East and local volunteers dug at the site. Their report was published in 2010. The Wisbech Castle Community Archaeology Project received an award for being a great community project. As a result, local volunteers formed an archaeology group called FenArch.
Cambridgeshire County Council planned to sell the property. However, Wisbech Town Council stepped in to take over its management.
In February 2018, Wisbech Town Council leased the site and began running it. The castle project is managed by a committee of the Town Council and volunteers. In November 2019, an open day was held to celebrate the 10th anniversaries of the 2009 dig and FenArch. Finds from the dig were displayed.
The castle now hosts school visits and is licensed for civil weddings. The museum's art collection, including paintings of the castle, is available online. In May 2021, the castle hosted the Mayor-making ceremony for the first time. In July 2021, the gardens were used for a concert to raise funds for the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.
The Vaults
The Castle vaults are located where Thurloe's mansion was built. In 1878, it was noted that after the old building was removed, there were hollows. Joseph Medworth built arches over these hollows to create a terraced garden walk.
The vaults are sometimes open to the public. They are now accessed through a door facing the front of Medworth's house. Some people mistakenly believe these vaults were the dungeons where religious prisoners were kept. However, archaeological studies suggest these remains are not from such early periods.
Castle Officials
Constables of the Castle
- 1246 William Justice
- 1262 Simon de Dullingham
- 1308 Richard de Halstead
- 1401 Thomas De Bramstone
- 1408 Sir John de Rochford
- 1410 Sir John de Colvile (who founded a college nearby)
- 1446 Sir Andrew Hoggard
- 1476 Sir Thomas Grey
- 1489 Sir James Hobart or Sir Thomas Hobart
- 1525 Walter And Miles Hubbard
- 1531 Thomas Megges
- Sir Richard Cromwell
- 1605 William Chester, Sen, Esq
- c.1609–1619 Rowland Bradford
- 1633 Matthias Taylor, Esq
Keepers of the Castle
- c1584-c 1588 Thomas Grey
