Tilsworth Castle
Encyclopedia
Tilsworth Castle refers to both "Warren Knoll Motte" and "Tilsworth Manor", both built in the same general area, located in the civil parish of Tilsworth
, in the county of Bedfordshire
, England
.
castle, built prior to the Norman Invasion
in 1066. Originally a Saxon
stronghold, it was held by Levric, son of Osmund. It was a timber castle, and believed to have had outer fortifications to the east and north.
Mentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as "Tilsworth Manor", it was at that time held by William Peverel
. By the middle of the 13th century, the castle had passed into the Morteyn family, and was held by seven members of that family before passing, in 1362, into the hands of a Morteyn cousin, Richard Chamberlain. The manor was thus in the Chamberlain family, passing to Richard's son Richard (d. 24 August 1396), and then to Richard's grandson Richard (1390–1439), a minor at the time of his inheritance. During his minority, the manor was held by his mother Margaret Chamberlain (d. 18 April 1408), (née de Lovaine), and stepfather Philip St.Clair, until his possession of it, upon Margaret's death, in 1408. His death in 1439, and the death of his elder son Richard in the same year, left the manor in the possession of his younger son William Chamberlain.
Sometime around Richard's death, during the 15th century, a new manor house was built across from the church. The old one falling into ruins thereafter. Nothing but cropmarks and earthworks
remain. The site was excavated in 1972, and is listed as a Scheduled Monument.
ed, manor house. The manor was inclosed by an Act of Parliament
in 1767. It was demolished about the year 1800 and a new manor house was built on the same location.
It was most likely built by Richard Chamberlain (d. 1496), the son of the previous mentioned William Chamberlain. The manor passed to Richard's son Edward Chamberlain (b. 1479), who gave it to his maternal grandfather Sir Richard Fowler in 1528. It was held in the Fowler family for only 3 generations, until sold by Richard Fowler, in 1606, to Sir Anthony Chester. The sale of the estate followed an incident, in 1600, during which Richard Fowler was imprisoned in the Tower of London
as the result of a forged letter implicating him in a plot to poison Queen Elizabeth I
. Richard's young wife, her lover and her brother were later convicted of the forgery
.
The estate then passed through the hands of eight members of the Chester family before being sold by Charles Chester to Sir Gregory Osborn Page-Turner, son of Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet, in 1838. The property was then in the ownership of that family, in the forms of Mr. F. A. Page-Turner and Sir E. H. Page-Turner, until the latter's death in 1898, at which time it was held by his trustees.
Currently on the site is the third manor, of the same name, built in the 19th century by a member of the Chester family, which still retains the 15th century gate tower
and the moat
. The current Tilsworth Manor is a private residence, though the Tilsworth Fête
is held in the grounds each June.
This last site of "Tilsworth Castle" is a Scheduled Monument.
Tilsworth
Tilsworth is a small village and civil parish in Bedfordshire. It lies to the north west of Dunstable, and the Roman Watling Street forms the north east boundary of the parish of 1200 acres . The village lies on the gault clay, where springs well up just south of a gentle gravelly ridge...
, in the county of Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Warren Knoll Motte
The first "Tilsworth Castle", now known as "Warren Knoll Motte", was a pre-11th century motte-and-baileyMotte-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, built prior to the Norman Invasion
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066. Originally a Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
stronghold, it was held by Levric, son of Osmund. It was a timber castle, and believed to have had outer fortifications to the east and north.
Mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as "Tilsworth Manor", it was at that time held by William Peverel
William Peverel
William Peverell , was a Norman knight, and is shown in 'The Battle Abbey Roll' to have fought at the Battle of Hastings.-Biography:...
. By the middle of the 13th century, the castle had passed into the Morteyn family, and was held by seven members of that family before passing, in 1362, into the hands of a Morteyn cousin, Richard Chamberlain. The manor was thus in the Chamberlain family, passing to Richard's son Richard (d. 24 August 1396), and then to Richard's grandson Richard (1390–1439), a minor at the time of his inheritance. During his minority, the manor was held by his mother Margaret Chamberlain (d. 18 April 1408), (née de Lovaine), and stepfather Philip St.Clair, until his possession of it, upon Margaret's death, in 1408. His death in 1439, and the death of his elder son Richard in the same year, left the manor in the possession of his younger son William Chamberlain.
Sometime around Richard's death, during the 15th century, a new manor house was built across from the church. The old one falling into ruins thereafter. Nothing but cropmarks and earthworks
Earthworks (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...
remain. The site was excavated in 1972, and is listed as a Scheduled Monument.
Tilsworth Manor
Built just beside Warren Knoll, on lower ground, was the second "Tilsworth Castle", a 15th century fortified, and moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed, manor house. The manor was inclosed by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1767. It was demolished about the year 1800 and a new manor house was built on the same location.
It was most likely built by Richard Chamberlain (d. 1496), the son of the previous mentioned William Chamberlain. The manor passed to Richard's son Edward Chamberlain (b. 1479), who gave it to his maternal grandfather Sir Richard Fowler in 1528. It was held in the Fowler family for only 3 generations, until sold by Richard Fowler, in 1606, to Sir Anthony Chester. The sale of the estate followed an incident, in 1600, during which Richard Fowler was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
as the result of a forged letter implicating him in a plot to poison Queen Elizabeth I
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...
. Richard's young wife, her lover and her brother were later convicted of the forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
.
The estate then passed through the hands of eight members of the Chester family before being sold by Charles Chester to Sir Gregory Osborn Page-Turner, son of Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet, in 1838. The property was then in the ownership of that family, in the forms of Mr. F. A. Page-Turner and Sir E. H. Page-Turner, until the latter's death in 1898, at which time it was held by his trustees.
Currently on the site is the third manor, of the same name, built in the 19th century by a member of the Chester family, which still retains the 15th century gate tower
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:...
and the moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
. The current Tilsworth Manor is a private residence, though the Tilsworth Fête
Fête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
is held in the grounds each June.
This last site of "Tilsworth Castle" is a Scheduled Monument.