a castle fit for a night

...after yesterday's whinge about the constant rain, this morning we awoke to beautiful sunshine :) Just in case it was a flash in the pan, we were up and out early to tick today's manor house off my list.

Backing onto the River Frome, Woodsford Castle is a fine example of a 14th century fortified manor house. A licence was granted to William de Whitefield, lord of Woodsford, in 1335 to crenellate his manor. As so much of the castle has disappeared over time, it is not possible to know whether he made the modified fortifications but we do know, as with my blip two days ago, that many land lords along the south coast were concerned about the possibility of French raids in the period of unrest that led to the outbreak of the Hundred Years War with France. What we see today, is just one side of a quadrangular dwelling. The likelihood is, that this was always the main living space, which is why the rest of the building was allowed to decay. A map from the 1780s shows a gatehouse in the wall opposite the main house, with towers at the corners linked by walls and smaller buildings to the main block.

In 1367, the castle was purchased by Sir Guy de Bryan. Sir Guy's main estates were in Devon and Pembrokeshire. We don't really know how often he visited Woodsford but the rooms are so grand as to suggest that he wasn't a stranger here. In fact, in addition to his own household's chambers there was a King's Room, a Queen's Room and a chapel, indicating that he entertained guests of the very highest status.

Guy was everything we expect when we think of a knight. He was a close friend of King Edward III, for whom he held a number of prestigious posts - Steward of the Royal Household, Keeper of the Great Seal, Ambassador to the French Court and to the Pope, Admiral of the Fleet and, in 1369, he was made a Knight of the Garter. His military achievements were so well known that they were still talking about him and writing about him during Queen Elizabeth I's reign, 200 years later.

Through inheritance, Woodsford passed to the Stafford family and then, in around 1500, to the Strangways. In addition to our current Royal Family, George Washington, Winston Churchill, Lady Diana and David Cameron were all directly descended from these families.

Unfortunately, by 1630 the castle was in ruins. In 1660, the main building was converted to become a large farmhouse. It was at this time that it was extended upwards and the thatched roof was added. Further modification were made in about 1790. I found it quite surprising that there is nothing in the records to indicate how it fared during the English Civil War. It could be that it was genuinely already in ruins but I cannot help but wonder if it wasn't in fact the Parliamentarians who destroyed it.

In 1850, a full structural assessment and restoration was carried out by the architect, John Hicks of Dorchester. The builder that he employed to undertake the work was a Mr Hardy, whose son, Thomas, later joined Hicks' office to train as an architect. Today, of course, we know Thomas far better as the writer and poet.

In 1977, after 600 years of having never changed hands other than through inheritance, the Landmark Trust purchased Woodsford. They re-thatched the roof and undertook a thorough authentic restoration. The roof, which is the largest thatch in Dorset, was replaced again in 2008. The castle, like most Landmark Trust properties, is now used as a posh holiday cottage...