Mackworth Castle
Encyclopedia
Mackworth Castle was a 14th or 15th century structure located in Derbyshire
, at the upper end of Mackworth
village near Derby
. The home for several centuries of the Mackworth family, it was at some point reduced to the ruins of a gatehouse suggestive of a grand castle. A survey from 1911 suggested that though the gatehouse resembled a castle, the rest of the structure may have been more modest.
of 1254, and the MackWorth lineage can be followed from the early part of the 15th century. Mackworth castle remained in the family until 1655 or 1656, when it was sold by Sir Thomas Mackworth, 3rd Baronet, who had relocated to Normanton
, to Sir John Curzon, 1st Baronet
. Local legend says that the castle was destroyed during the Parliamentary Civil War
by some ordnance
on a nearby hill. However, Rev. Charles Kerry of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society questions whether the castle had already begun to decline before its purchase by Curzon, noting that, "Had Mackworth Castle been a place suitable for the reception of the Queen of Scots, Sir Ralph Sadler would not have overlooked it when en route with his charge for Tutbury." Sadler
chose to lodge Mary, Queen of Scots, a decision which irritated Queen Elizabeth
. He wrote in explanation on February 5, 1584, that he would not have done so had there been any appropriate houses anywhere near that town in which to house his charge.
Primarily, what remains of the building is its gatehouse
, a square, heavily battlement
ed structure which could stand as a separate building in itself. According to English Castles: A Guide by Counties, the gatehouse was a Tudor
era addition; Kerry dates it to a little before 1500. Some understanding of the layout of the rest of the building can be derived from the rectangular spaces on the west of the gatehouse, which once formed courtyards.
According to Anthony Emery in Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales, 1300-1500: East Anglia, Central England and Wales, the structure may never have been very grand. He recounts that a 1911 survey suggested that the walls surrounding those spaces were likely "timber-framed on low rubble walls", similar to the nearby 14th century house of the Tuchet family, for whom the Mackworths served as stewards. Emery writes that "[t]he gateway was no more than a display structure, a very early example of that hankering for a world of chivalry and romance that had already passed."
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, at the upper end of Mackworth
Mackworth
Mackworth Conservation Village, mentioned in the Domesday Book, and civil parish in the borough of Amber Valley, in Derbyshire, England. Historically, the parish also contained the neighbouring village of Markeaton, now within the Derby city boundary. Mackworth Estate shares its name with the...
village near Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. The home for several centuries of the Mackworth family, it was at some point reduced to the ruins of a gatehouse suggestive of a grand castle. A survey from 1911 suggested that though the gatehouse resembled a castle, the rest of the structure may have been more modest.
History
The date of construction of the castle is uncertain; ranges have been given from the early 14th to the late 15th centuries. The first Mackworth, Henry du Mackworth, appears in the Pipe RollsPipe Rolls
The Pipe rolls, sometimes called the Great rolls, are a collection of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, or Treasury. The earliest date from the 12th century, and the series extends, mostly complete, from then until 1833. They form the oldest continuous series of records kept by...
of 1254, and the MackWorth lineage can be followed from the early part of the 15th century. Mackworth castle remained in the family until 1655 or 1656, when it was sold by Sir Thomas Mackworth, 3rd Baronet, who had relocated to Normanton
Normanton
Normanton is the name of several places:In England:*Normanton, Derbyshire*Normanton, Leicestershire*Normanton, Lincolnshire*Normanton, Nottinghamshire*Normanton, Rutland*Normanton, West Yorkshire**Normanton...
, to Sir John Curzon, 1st Baronet
Sir John Curzon, 1st Baronet
Sir John Curzon, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1640 to 1648...
. Local legend says that the castle was destroyed during the Parliamentary Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
by some ordnance
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
on a nearby hill. However, Rev. Charles Kerry of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society questions whether the castle had already begun to decline before its purchase by Curzon, noting that, "Had Mackworth Castle been a place suitable for the reception of the Queen of Scots, Sir Ralph Sadler would not have overlooked it when en route with his charge for Tutbury." Sadler
Ralph Sadler
Sir Ralph Sadler, PC, Knight banneret was an English statesman of the 16th century, and served as a Secretary of State for King Henry VIII.-Background:...
chose to lodge Mary, Queen of Scots, a decision which irritated Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. He wrote in explanation on February 5, 1584, that he would not have done so had there been any appropriate houses anywhere near that town in which to house his charge.
Primarily, what remains of the building is its gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
, a square, heavily battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed structure which could stand as a separate building in itself. According to English Castles: A Guide by Counties, the gatehouse was a Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
era addition; Kerry dates it to a little before 1500. Some understanding of the layout of the rest of the building can be derived from the rectangular spaces on the west of the gatehouse, which once formed courtyards.
According to Anthony Emery in Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales, 1300-1500: East Anglia, Central England and Wales, the structure may never have been very grand. He recounts that a 1911 survey suggested that the walls surrounding those spaces were likely "timber-framed on low rubble walls", similar to the nearby 14th century house of the Tuchet family, for whom the Mackworths served as stewards. Emery writes that "[t]he gateway was no more than a display structure, a very early example of that hankering for a world of chivalry and romance that had already passed."