Macclesfield Castle
Encyclopedia
Macclesfield Castle was a fortified manor house/castle in Macclesfield
, Cheshire
. John de Macclesfield began construction of the castle in 1398. It was made from sandstone, and was square with projecting wings. Alterations were made in the 15th century, and it passed through the hands of two families of earls. By 1585 the building was ruinous, and all that survived to the 20th century was the porch. This was dismantled in 1932 and the site reused for cottages and shops.
and Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. began acquiring land in the town of Macclesfield for the purpose of building a manor house. Construction of the house – Macclesfield Castle – began in 1398. In 1398, and again in 1399, Macclesfield applied for a license to crenellate his new manor house. The historian of the castle, R.C. Turner, attributes this to the crisis towards the end of Richard II's reign. The king died before he could grant Macclesfield's request, however, and was succeeded to the throne by Henry IV
. Although he fell out of favour and returned to his home in Macclesfield after being replaced as Keeper of the Wardrobe, John was granted a licence to crenellate in 1410. John de Macclesfield was a commoner, despite his previous position as Keeper of the Wardrobe, and to allow him to fortify his home – which was in the royal borough of Macclesfield – was very unusual.
When John de Macclesfied died in 1422, his estates passed to his bastard
children. By 1444, these lands had been bought by Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
. In the mid-15th century additions were made to the castle. The castle passed from the possession of the Dukes of Buckingham
– after whom the house became known as Buckingham Palace or Buckingham Castle – into the hands of the Stanley family, Earls of Derby
from 1485. It is assumed that when Henry VII
visited the Earl of Derby in Macclesfield in 1496, he stayed at Macclesfield Castle. The castle had fallen into disrepair by the late 16th century, as in 1585 it was described by William Smith as a "huge place all of stone in a manner of a castle – but now gone into much decay".
Parts of the castle were still in use in 1793–1811, when a room of the castle was used by Macclesfield's Roman Catholic congregation. By the 20th century, all that remained of the building was the porch (or gateway) – which dated to the reign of Henry VII – where Palace Yard is now and parts of the curtain wall
. Despite plans to preserve the porch, it was dismantled in 1932 and the site reused to build cottages and shops. In 1985, dressed stone
that had originally been part of the castle was accidentally discovered, although it was heavily weathered; the site was excavated the same year.
, but Turner believes the building was probably influenced by the contemporary construction of Bodiam Castle
and alterations to Kenilworth Castle
; Turner comes to this conclusion as he believes John de Macclesfield would have been involved in organising payment for the construction of these castles in his role as Keeper of the Wardrobe. Macclesfield Castle was constructed from sandstone
, and the remains of it which were uncovered in 1985 have not survived well due to weathering. The overall layout and size of Macclesfield Castle is uncertain, but it was probably 140 by The porch which survived until 1932 was on the west side and measured 4.5 metres (14.8 ft) square and 7.31 metres (24 ft) high. It was built from coursed rubble sandstone and faced with ashlar
; it probably had a castellated parapet. Unusually, it featured a vaulted interior with an unusual Tudor rose, dating it to the reign of Henry VII.
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. John de Macclesfield began construction of the castle in 1398. It was made from sandstone, and was square with projecting wings. Alterations were made in the 15th century, and it passed through the hands of two families of earls. By 1585 the building was ruinous, and all that survived to the 20th century was the porch. This was dismantled in 1932 and the site reused for cottages and shops.
History
Between 1392 and 1398, John de Macclesfield, an officer in the court of Richard IIRichard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
and Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. began acquiring land in the town of Macclesfield for the purpose of building a manor house. Construction of the house – Macclesfield Castle – began in 1398. In 1398, and again in 1399, Macclesfield applied for a license to crenellate his new manor house. The historian of the castle, R.C. Turner, attributes this to the crisis towards the end of Richard II's reign. The king died before he could grant Macclesfield's request, however, and was succeeded to the throne by Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
. Although he fell out of favour and returned to his home in Macclesfield after being replaced as Keeper of the Wardrobe, John was granted a licence to crenellate in 1410. John de Macclesfield was a commoner, despite his previous position as Keeper of the Wardrobe, and to allow him to fortify his home – which was in the royal borough of Macclesfield – was very unusual.
When John de Macclesfied died in 1422, his estates passed to his bastard
Bastard (Law of England and Wales)
A bastard in the law of England and Wales is a person whose parents, at the time of his/her birth, were not married to each other....
children. By 1444, these lands had been bought by Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
. In the mid-15th century additions were made to the castle. The castle passed from the possession of the Dukes of Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham
The titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
– after whom the house became known as Buckingham Palace or Buckingham Castle – into the hands of the Stanley family, Earls of Derby
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end of the reign of Henry III and died in 1279...
from 1485. It is assumed that when Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
visited the Earl of Derby in Macclesfield in 1496, he stayed at Macclesfield Castle. The castle had fallen into disrepair by the late 16th century, as in 1585 it was described by William Smith as a "huge place all of stone in a manner of a castle – but now gone into much decay".
Parts of the castle were still in use in 1793–1811, when a room of the castle was used by Macclesfield's Roman Catholic congregation. By the 20th century, all that remained of the building was the porch (or gateway) – which dated to the reign of Henry VII – where Palace Yard is now and parts of the curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
. Despite plans to preserve the porch, it was dismantled in 1932 and the site reused to build cottages and shops. In 1985, dressed stone
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
that had originally been part of the castle was accidentally discovered, although it was heavily weathered; the site was excavated the same year.
Layout
When the castle was described in 1585, Smith recorded that Macclesfield Castle was a square building with projecting wings and decorative towers. Because so little of the building survives, it is unknown whether it had a great hallGreat hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
, but Turner believes the building was probably influenced by the contemporary construction of Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War...
and alterations to Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle is located in the town of the same name in Warwickshire, England. Constructed from Norman through to Tudor times, the castle has been described by architectural historian Anthony Emery as "the finest surviving example of a semi-royal palace of the later middle ages, significant...
; Turner comes to this conclusion as he believes John de Macclesfield would have been involved in organising payment for the construction of these castles in his role as Keeper of the Wardrobe. Macclesfield Castle was constructed from sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, and the remains of it which were uncovered in 1985 have not survived well due to weathering. The overall layout and size of Macclesfield Castle is uncertain, but it was probably 140 by The porch which survived until 1932 was on the west side and measured 4.5 metres (14.8 ft) square and 7.31 metres (24 ft) high. It was built from coursed rubble sandstone and faced with ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
; it probably had a castellated parapet. Unusually, it featured a vaulted interior with an unusual Tudor rose, dating it to the reign of Henry VII.
See also
- Buckingham PalaceBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
– palace built for the Dukes of Buckingham in 1703 - List of castles in Cheshire