Castle Rising, England

 

             Visitors dressed for the occasion

This evening, I am focusing on one of the most important 12th century castles in England, namely Castle Rising near King's Lynn in Norfolk, east of England. The castle is situated about 106 miles north of London.

Although roofless, the walls and some rooms are substantially intact from which a full appreciation for the scale and grandeur of this historic building set inside massive earthworks can be obtained.

Key historic facts as follows:

  • The stone keep dates from around 1140. This benefits from fine arcading and embellishments.
  • Built by/for William D'Albini reflecting status on his marriage to Alice of Louvian, widow of Henry I.
  • Over the years the castle has been used as a hunting lodge and royal residence.
  • One of the castle's most important residents was Queen Isabella ( 1295-1358), the French born wife of Edward II and mother of Edward III. She may have been involved in the murder of her husband, Edward II.Records indicate that Edward III visited Isabella at Castle Rising.
  • After Isabella's death, the Castle was used as a hunting lodge by the Black Prince (1330-1376), the eldest son of King Edward III, who also spent considerable sums on improvement and restoration.
  • The castle has been in the Howard family since 1544 with current owner being a descendant of William D'Albini II.Castle Rising, England View of castle


 Ruins under armed guard

 

Architectural detail 

Video clip



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