Marlborough Castle
Encyclopedia
Marlborough Castle, locally known and recorded in historical documents as The Mount, was an 11th-century royal castle located in the civil parish of Marlborough, a market town in the English county of Wiltshire
, on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London
to Bath . The barrow
on which the fortification was built, perhaps the "barrow of Maerla" seems to be a prehistoric earthwork which formed the motte
of the Norman Marlborough Castle. It survives as a tree-covered mound at the centre of Marlborough College
.
assumed control of the Marlborough area and set Roger, Bishop of Salisbury
, to building a wooden motte-and-bailey
castle, sited on the prehistoric mound. A castle at Marlborough is suggested by the imprisonment and death there of Ethelric, bishop of Selsey
, in 1070. William established the neighbouring Savernake Forest
as a favourite royal hunting ground, and Marlborough Castle became a royal residence: Henry I
spent Easter at Marlborough in 1110, which strongly suggests that it was inhabitable. During the Anarchy
John FitzGilbert the marshal held Marlborough Castle for Stephen
out of the fealty he owed him. Stone was later used to strengthen the castle, around 1175. From 1223 to 1224, Eleanor of Brittany, cousin of Henry III
and with a better claim to the throne according to primogeniture, was briefly kept there as a state prisoner. After the death of Henry III, Marlborough lost favour as a royal residence. From 1273-1369 it was used only as a dower house
: the castle, with the royal borough attached to it, was assigned in 1273 for life to Queen Eleanor
(d. 1291), during whose tenure Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel
was born in the castle, 1 May 1285. In 1299 it was assigned to Queen Marguerite
(d. here 14 February 1318), in 1318 to Queen Isabella
, who was deprived of it in the period 1324–27, and in 1330 to Queen Philippa, on whose death in 1369 it reverted to the Crown.
Marlborough Castle ceased to be used in 1370 and fell into disrepair, but remained Crown property. Edward VI
then passed it to the Seymour family
, his mother
's relatives.
The castle was in ruins by 1403. It was replaced in 1683-84 by the "new house" for Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
, apparently to designs by John Deane, a surveyor of Reading, Berkshire. The house forms the nucleus of the present Marlborough College
. In the 18th century it was the beloved residence of Isabella, Countess of Hertford
, the patroness of William Shenstone
and James Thomson. Stephen Duck
, the "thresher poet", described the house during Lady Hertford's time in A description of a Journey to Marlborough.... The house declined into a coaching inn, the Castle Inn, where the Marlborough Club, whose members were Tory gentlemen from Marlborough and the surrounding area, was established in 1774. The club met at the Castle inn until 1842; the house became the nucleus of Marlborough College, founded in 1843.
mound, within the grounds of Marlborough College. Traces of Neolithic
and Roman
occupation have been found in the vicinity of the Castle Mound. Parts of the keep
and curtain wall
have been identified by excavation and a Roman coin recovered.
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Bath . The barrow
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
on which the fortification was built, perhaps the "barrow of Maerla" seems to be a prehistoric earthwork which formed the motte
Motte
Motte may be:*Motte-and-bailey, a type of construction used in castles*Isaac Motte, an 18th century American statesman*La Motte , various places with this name-See also:* Mote * Mott...
of the Norman Marlborough Castle. It survives as a tree-covered mound at the centre of Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
.
History
In 1067, William the ConquerorWilliam I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
assumed control of the Marlborough area and set Roger, Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
, to building a wooden motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle, sited on the prehistoric mound. A castle at Marlborough is suggested by the imprisonment and death there of Ethelric, bishop of Selsey
Æthelric II
Æthelric was the second to last medieval Bishop of Selsey in England before the see was moved to Chichester. Consecrated a bishop in 1058, he was deposed in 1070 for unknown reasons and then imprisoned by King William I of England...
, in 1070. William established the neighbouring Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest is on a Cretaceous chalk plateau between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire, England. Its area is approximately .It is privately owned by the Trustees of Savernake Estate, the Earl of Cardigan, and his family solicitor. Since 1939 the running of the forest has been...
as a favourite royal hunting ground, and Marlborough Castle became a royal residence: Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
spent Easter at Marlborough in 1110, which strongly suggests that it was inhabitable. During the Anarchy
The Anarchy
The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...
John FitzGilbert the marshal held Marlborough Castle for Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
out of the fealty he owed him. Stone was later used to strengthen the castle, around 1175. From 1223 to 1224, Eleanor of Brittany, cousin of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and with a better claim to the throne according to primogeniture, was briefly kept there as a state prisoner. After the death of Henry III, Marlborough lost favour as a royal residence. From 1273-1369 it was used only as a dower house
Dower house
On an estate, a dower house is usually a moderately large house available for use by the widow of the estate-owner. The widow, often known as the "dowager" usually moves into the dower house from the larger family house on the death of her husband if the heir is married, and upon his marriage if he...
: the castle, with the royal borough attached to it, was assigned in 1273 for life to Queen Eleanor
Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
(d. 1291), during whose tenure Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel
Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel
Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel was an English nobleman prominent in the conflict between Edward II and his barons. His father, Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel, died in 1302 while Edmund was still a minor. He therefore became a ward of John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, and married...
was born in the castle, 1 May 1285. In 1299 it was assigned to Queen Marguerite
Marguerite of France (born 1282)
Margaret of France , a daughter of Philip III of France and Maria of Brabant, was Queen of England as the second wife of King Edward I, who was her father's first cousin.-Early life:...
(d. here 14 February 1318), in 1318 to Queen Isabella
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
, who was deprived of it in the period 1324–27, and in 1330 to Queen Philippa, on whose death in 1369 it reverted to the Crown.
Marlborough Castle ceased to be used in 1370 and fell into disrepair, but remained Crown property. Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
then passed it to the Seymour family
Seymour family
Seymour, or St. Maur, is the name of an English family in which several titles of nobility have from time to time been created, and of which the Duke of Somerset is the head.-Origins:...
, his mother
Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as queen consort following the latter's execution for trumped up charges of high treason, incest and adultery in May 1536. She died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of...
's relatives.
The castle was in ruins by 1403. It was replaced in 1683-84 by the "new house" for Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset , sometimes referred to as the "Proud Duke". The son of Charles Seymour, 2nd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge, and Elizabeth Alington , he succeeded his brother Francis Seymour, 5th Duke of Somerset, to the dukedom when the latter was shot in 1678...
, apparently to designs by John Deane, a surveyor of Reading, Berkshire. The house forms the nucleus of the present Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
. In the 18th century it was the beloved residence of Isabella, Countess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford KG, PC, PC was a British courtier and politician.He was born in Chelsea, London the son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Lord Conway and Charlotte Shorter and died in Surrey, England...
, the patroness of William Shenstone
William Shenstone
William Shenstone was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes.-Life:...
and James Thomson. Stephen Duck
Stephen Duck
Stephen Duck was an English poet whose career reflected both the Augustan era's interest in "naturals" and its resistance to classlessness....
, the "thresher poet", described the house during Lady Hertford's time in A description of a Journey to Marlborough.... The house declined into a coaching inn, the Castle Inn, where the Marlborough Club, whose members were Tory gentlemen from Marlborough and the surrounding area, was established in 1774. The club met at the Castle inn until 1842; the house became the nucleus of Marlborough College, founded in 1843.
Present
This site is a Scheduled Monument. All that remains today of it is Castle Mound, a tree-covered earthworksEarthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
mound, within the grounds of Marlborough College. Traces of Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
occupation have been found in the vicinity of the Castle Mound. Parts of the keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
and curtain wall
Curtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
have been identified by excavation and a Roman coin recovered.
Notable events
- Henry IHenry I of EnglandHenry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
observed Easter here, in 1110. - Richard IRichard I of EnglandRichard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
(Coeur de Lion) gave the castle to his brother JohnJohn of EnglandJohn , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, in 1186. - King JohnJohn of EnglandJohn , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
was married here on 29 August 1189 to Isabel of GloucesterIsabel of GloucesterIsabel of Gloucester was the first wife of King John of England. This historical figure is known by an exceptionally large number of alternative names: Hadwisa, Hawisia, Hawise, Joan, Eleanor, Avise and Avisa....
, and spent time in Marlborough. He even established a Treasury. - Henry IIHenry II of EnglandHenry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
stayed at here while in talks with the King of Scotland.
Further reading
- Field, David, Brown, Graham & Crockett, Andrew, “The Marlborough Mound Revisited,” in Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History MagazineWiltshire Archaeological and Natural History MagazineWiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine is a county journal published by the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society . It has been published almost annually since 1853 and is distributed to its members, subscribers and exchanged with other linked societies.-External...
, 94, 2001.