Nottingham Castle and the gentle Mortimer.

 A-Z Challenge 2012 - N

Nottingham Castle

In the legends of Robin Hood Nottingham Castle is the scene for the showdown between the Sheriff of Nottingham and the outlaw. However there is much more to the history of the castle than its ‘connection’ to Robin Hood.

Reconstruction of Nottingham Castle - 1896

The castle held a commanding position on a promontory known as “Castle Rock”, with 40m cliffs to the south and west. At various times it has been a major fortress and royal residence. After the execution of Charles I it was largely destroyed. The Ducal Mansion now occupying the site was built in the late 1600s.

Nottingham Castle - 2005

Built by William the Conqueror in 1067, the wooden structure with a motte and bailey design was replaced by a stone castle in 1170 by Henry II. In 1194 Richard the Lionheart regained the castle from Prince John with siege engines Richard had used during the crusades at Jerusalem - the only time that an occupier of Nottingham Castle was defeated.

In 1212 King John held sons of Welsh nobles as hostages in the Castle before ordering their execution. The boys’ cries rang round the Castle as they were taken one by one to the ramparts and hanged. Their ghostly pleas for mercy are still said to be heard within the castle precincts.

More drama occurred on the night of 19^th October 1330, when the lovers, Roger Mortimer, 1^st Earl of March and Queen Isabella were in residence. The pair were acting as Regents for the young Edward III following their murder of his father Edward II. The young king and his supporters entered the castle by the secret tunnel now known as Mortimer’s Hole and burst into the lovers chamber. Despite Isabella pleading ‘Fair son, have mercy on gentle Mortimer,’ Edward imprisoned him I the castle. Sir Roger was taken to London and executed there as a traitor; hung drawn and quartered on 29^th November his remains were stuck on spikes and left to rot on traitors gate at Tyburn.

Ghostly echoes from the time may still be heard in the Ducal Mansion now occupying the sight. Footsteps are heard pacing to and fro in the subterranean chamber where Mortimer was held. Sometimes in the castle a woman’s voice pleads, ‘Bel fitz, eiez pitie du gentil Mortimer!’

Charles I raising his standard at Nottingham Castle 1642

In August 1642 at the start of the Civil War Charles I raised his standard outside the castle walls but for most of the war the castle was held by the parliamentary forces. After the execution of the King in 1649, the castle was razed to the ground.

The site was bought by the 1^st Duke of Newcastle in the 1660s; the Ducal Mansion was completed by his son in 1678. The building was attacked and burn down by rioters in 1831. Later a local architect was appointed to adapt the Castle into a building to be used as a museum and art gallery.

The Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, opened Nottingham Castle in 1878 and Nottingham celebrated being the first municipal museum and art gallery outside London.

Nottingham Castle Gatehouse 2005

Manorbier Castle, Pembrokeshire was Hilary Melton-Butcher's castle for M on Saturday.

Attributions:

• Reconstruction of Nottingham Castle 1896; Source Mackenzie, James D. (1896) The Castles of England: Their Story and Structure, Vol II. New York: Macmillan. Author James Mackenzie (1830-1900) PD
• Nottingham Castle. Nottingham Castle 2005; author Rob Bradford; Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license
• Painting by Henry Dawson 1847 of King Charles I raising his standard at Nottingham Castle 24 August 1642 public domain
• Nottingham Castle's Gatehouse 2005; author Rob Bradford; Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license

Fotheringhay Castle and Mary Queen of Scots

 A-Z Challenge - F

Fotheringhay Castle and Mary Queen of Scots

The village of Fotheringhay is situated six kilometres north east of Oundle in the county of Northamptonshire. There is nothing left of its castle today other than the motte on which it was built which provides excellent views of the River Nene.

Site of Fotheringhay Castle - 2009

Site of Fotheringhay Castle The motte and bailey is all that remains of Fotheringhay Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots was executed. Behind is the modern Castle Barn and beyond, Fotheringhay Church. 

The Norman castle was built around 1100. The motte topped by a stone keep was surrounded by a moat. King Edward III (1312-77) rebuilt the Norman castle and granted it to his son, Edward, Duke of York. In 1452 the wife of a later Duke of York gave birth to the future Richard III. The reign of Richard III was short (1483 – 85) as he was killed at the Bosworth during the War of the Roses.

Henry VIII gave it to Catherine of Aragon as part of her dowry but she refused to go there. The castle became infamous as the site for the imprisonment and execution of the tragic Mary, Queen of Scots. She was tried and convicted for treason and beheaded in the Great Hall on 8^th February 1587.

(If you are squeamish you may want to give the video a miss)

 The castle fell into disrepair and in 1627 it was razed to the ground, its fixtures and fittings sold. The great horned windows and the staircase down which Mary walked to her execution ended up in the Talbot Hotel in Oundle. Reputedly Mary’s face is seen occasionally gazing out at passers-by.

 Hilary Melton-Butcher's Castle E - Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

Attributions

• Site of Fotheringhay Castle:  By Ian Simpson 2009 – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. (Geograph Project Collection)
• Video: Execution scene taken from the BBC series 'Elizabeth R' (1971). Starring Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth and Vivian Pickles as Mary, Queen of Scots. No copyright infringement intended