Wisbech Castle facts for kids
Wisbech Castle was originally a strong stone castle built in 1072 by order of William I, also known as William the Conqueror. It was located in Wisbech, which is now part of Cambridgeshire, England. This first castle likely replaced an older one made of wood and earth. The castle was probably oval-shaped, following the path of what is now called the Circus.
The castle was rebuilt with stone in 1087. Sadly, it was reportedly destroyed by a big flood in 1236. Later, in the 15th century, the old castle was too difficult to repair. So, a new building, known as the Bishop's Palace, was started in 1478 by John Morton, who was the Bishop of Ely. His successor, John Alcock, finished the palace and even died there in 1500. This palace was made of brick with special Ketton Stone decorations.
During the Tudor era, this rebuilt palace became a famous prison. The site was changed again in the mid-1600s and then once more in 1816 by Joseph Medworth. Today, the Regency building known as The Castle, located in Museum Square, Wisbech, is a special historic building. It stands in the middle of a circular road called The Crescent.
Castle History
Early Years: The Middle Ages
Interestingly, the Domesday Book from 1086, which recorded many things about England, does not mention a castle at Wisbech.
King John visited the castle on October 12, 1216. He was traveling from Lynn to Lincolnshire. During his journey, his wagons, carrying important items like royal treasures, were lost while crossing a river or estuary.
The castle and the town of Wisbech were badly damaged in a storm in 1236. However, the castle was rebuilt quite quickly, as a keeper was mentioned in 1246. King Edward II of England also visited the castle several times in the late 1200s and early 1300s.
In 1315, a merchant named Richard Lambert claimed he was unfairly imprisoned in Wisbech Castle. He described the jail as a terrible place.
Repairs were made to the castle tower in 1332–1333, using a lot of lead. A year later, the bakehouse wall was strengthened with 6,000 bricks. In 1350, John de Walton was held in the castle, accused of causing trouble.
The castle area had several fisheries. In the 1350s, officials from nearby villages sent interesting fish like porpoises and swordfish to Wisbech Castle. In 1355, a wedding was allowed to take place in the castle's chapel.
In 1381, Thomas Arundel, the Bishop of Ely, sent letters from Wisbech Castle. These letters gave instructions about people involved in a rebellion in Cambridge.
New gates and a bridge were built around the castle in 1409 and 1410. A chapel, a garden, and a dove house were also added, all surrounded by walls and a moat.
In 1410, John Colvile was the governor of the castle. His steel seal, showing a fortress with a round tower, can be seen as a wax copy at the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.
From 1478 to 1483, the Bishop's Palace was built using bricks and Ketton stone. The old cellars and foundations of this palace can still be seen today. Bishop Alcock later made the palace even bigger.
16th Century: A Notorious Prison
Wisbech Castle became a prison partly because it was in a remote location. It took prisoners about three days to walk from Wisbech to London.
During the time of Queen Mary, when she brought back Roman Catholicism, Protestants were imprisoned at Wisbech. William Wolsey and Robert Piggott were held there before being moved.
In 1580, the bishop was told to make the castle ready for more prisoners. The first ones arrived in October. In 1583, a prisoner named Andrew Oxenbridge took an important oath of loyalty.
John Feckenham, a former Abbot of Westminster, died in the castle in 1584. He was imprisoned by Elizabeth I. While a prisoner, he is said to have paid for a market cross to be built in the town.
Important Roman Catholics were also imprisoned for political reasons 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.
In the late 1500s, many Catholic priests and others were held at Wisbech Castle. A disagreement, known as the "Wisbech Stirs", happened among them. Some wanted to live a more structured, communal life, which caused arguments due to limited space. However, they eventually made up and reconciled. Records show that at least 111 prisoners were held here during this period.
17th Century: Civil War and New Owners
John and Robert Nutter, two brothers who became priests, were imprisoned at Wisbech Castle. Robert escaped but was recaptured and later died for his beliefs in Lancaster in 1600.
William Chester was the Constable of the castle from 1605 until he died there in 1608. There is a memorial to Matthias Taylor, another Constable, in the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wisbech. During his time, eight Jesuits managed to escape from the castle.
In 1616, a priest named Thomas Tunstal escaped from the castle 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 with new defenses. Soldiers were stationed there, and supplies were brought in from a captured Dutch ship. In 1643, the castle helped protect the River Nene area and block Royalist forces. The castle was armed with cannons from Ely, and money was used to fix the drawbridge.
Later, John Thurloe, a Secretary of State, bought the castle estate. He tore down the old bishop's palace and built a large mansion, sometimes called Thurloe's mansion. This mansion was later demolished around 1816. After the Restoration of the Monarchy, Thurloe's property was returned to the Bishop of Ely.
Even after Thurloe's mansion was built, people were still imprisoned for their religious beliefs. In 1663, John Inds and other Friends were sent to Wisbech Gaol and held for three years.
The Southwell family leased the castle for over 100 years, starting after 1664.
18th Century: Auctions and Visitors
In the 1700s, the castle was sometimes used for auctions, like the sale of Mrs. Edwards' household goods in 1724. An advertisement in 1737 offered a "Very good Milch Ass" for sale at the castle.
Henry Southwell, a merchant and local official, died in 1762. In 1778–1779, an Italian writer named Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti stayed with the Southwell family at the castle. He later wrote about his visit, including attending races and a theater show.
Edward Southwell, who lived at the castle, died in 1788. His furniture and belongings were sold at auction because sales were not allowed on the castle property itself.
Jane Southwell, the heiress of Wisbech Castle, later changed her name back to Southwell by an act of Parliament in 1791 to inherit from her brother.
In 1793, the Wisbech Saint Peter's Castle Act 1793 allowed the Bishop of Ely to sell the castle. James Yorke, the Bishop, put the castle up for auction 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 outside.
19th Century: Schools and New Buildings
Joseph Medworth, who bought the castle, became the town bailiff in 1809. In 1811, he offered Thurloe's mansion and its garden to the town for Wisbech Grammar School, but they declined. Medworth then tore down the mansion and used its materials to build his own villa, which is the building known as The Castle today.
William Richards wrote in 1812 that the old castle buildings had been removed, and new houses were being built. He mentioned that a large circular area was planned, which would make the town more beautiful.
In 1814, the castle was temporarily used as a school for young ladies. Later, W. Holmes ran a boarding school for young gentlemen there from about 1830 to the 1840s.
In March 1864, the castle was sold at auction for £1,300 to William Peckover. At this time, a Miss Hannan was running a boarding school in the building. Sarah Hardman, aged 74, died at the castle in 1868.
By 1888, F. W. Bradley lived at the castle. He invited archaeologists and members of the Wisbech Natural History Society to explore the castle grounds and vaults. Bradley's wife, May Bradley, also ran a private school at the castle.
20th Century: Fires, Excavations, and Public Use
At the start of the 1900s, F. W. Bradley, a dentist, was still living at The Castle. In 1900, his daughter was born there.
In May 1903, a chimney fire caused the castle roof to catch fire, taking 12 hours to put out. In the 1920s, the lawn was used as a tennis court. Bradley lived there as a tenant for 48 years until 1935. At that time, a statue of Mercury from Thurloe’s Mansion garden was still visible above the vaults.
In 1955, excavations in the Market Place found evidence of a wall and a large moat. They discovered pottery, leather shoes, and an early 15th-century gilt spur.
After the death of A.P.D. Penrose, the castle was auctioned in 1957. It was later bought by Mrs. F. C. D. Fendick, whose husband, Tee Gordon Fendick, wrote an article about the castle's history in 1960. He mentioned hidden spaces within the building. An Anglia Television report about Wisbech Castle was shown in 1963.
After her husband's death, Florence Fendick gave ownership of 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 fire escape was installed. The Fendick Room, once the drawing room, was set aside for cultural and educational meetings. Leslie 'George' Anniss, who was the castle custodian from 1971 to 1977, researched and published A History of Wisbech Castle.
In 1987, the Angles Theatre company performed Romeo and Juliet outdoors at the castle, using its balcony for the famous scene.
21st Century: Community and Events
In September 2009, archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology East and local volunteers carried out excavations at the castle site. Their report was published in 2010. The project was highly praised at the British Archaeological Awards. As a result, local volunteers formed an archaeology group, now called FenArch (Fenland Archaeological Society).
Cambridgeshire County Council planned to sell the property. However, Wisbech Town Council stepped in to take it over.
In February 2018, Wisbech Town Council took on a 30-year lease from Cambridgeshire County Council. They also received a loan to make repairs and manage the site. The castle project is now run by a committee of the Town Council and volunteers.
In November 2019, an open day was held at The Castle to celebrate the 10th anniversaries of the 2009 dig and the formation of FenArch. Finds from the dig were displayed, on loan from the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.
The castle now hosts school visits and is licensed for civil weddings. The museum's collection of artworks, including paintings of the castle and its former residents, is available online.
In May 2021, the castle hosted the Mayor-making ceremony for the first time. In July 2021, after COVID-19 restrictions eased, the gardens held a concert by the Hexachordia trio. They performed music, songs, and poems celebrating English gardens, raising money for the Wisbech & Fenland Museum. By 2023, the castle's operations were still facing financial challenges.
The Vaults
The castle vaults are located where Thurloe's mansion once stood. In 1878, during a meeting of the British Archaeological Association in Wisbech, it was noted that after the old building was removed, there were uneven hollows. To fix this, Mr. Medworth built arches, creating a terraced garden walk on top.
The vaults are sometimes open to the public. You can now enter them through a door facing the front of Medworth's Regency villa.
Some historical accounts, like William Weston's diaries, suggest that Catholic prisoners could see large religious gatherings from their cell windows. This would not have been possible if they were kept in the vaults we see today. Also, the ceiling of Thomas Pounde's cell reportedly collapsed.
Because of this, the vaults are sometimes mistakenly described by guides and ghost-hunters as the Norman dungeons or where religious prisoners were held. However, archaeological studies suggest that these remains, except possibly for a well, are not from such early periods.
Castle Constables and Keepers
Over the centuries, many people were in charge of Wisbech Castle. Here are some of them:
- 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 helped found a college nearby)
- 1446 Sir Andrew Hoggard
- 1476 Sir Thomas Grey
- 1489 Sir James Hobart
- 1525 Walter And Miles Hubbard
- 1531 Thomas Megges
- Sir Richard Cromwell
- 1605 William Chester, Sen
- c.1609–1619 Rowland Bradford
- 1633 Matthias Taylor
Keepers of the Castle
- c1584-c 1588 Thomas Grey
