England - touring castles, manors and ruins

Last month, Jenna Ives and I spent ten amazing days in England. I agreed to go to two Rolling Stones shows with her in Hyde Park in London, and she agreed to spend three days in the countryside touring old castles, churches and ruins with me (for research purposes, since I write historical romance). It was a win-win for both of us! 

I thought you might enjoy a vicarious tour of some of the sights we saw when we traded our dancing shoes for hiking boots…

St. Mary Magdalene Church, Stapleford Park

 

First stop was the church of St. Mary Magdalene, on the grounds of Stapleford Park in Leicestershire, the beautiful manor house where we stayed. This church houses the crypt of Stapleford Park owner William Sherard (who died in 1640 AD) and his wife Abigail. The top of the crypt has both of their statues carved into it, so lifelike that you can see what they actually looked like, even now after more than 370 years! There are also several statues of babies and infants carved into the edge of the crypt, representing their children. (Amazingly old stuff like this always raises the hair on the back of my neck!)

 

Belvoir Castle, Rutland

Our next stop was actually a drive-by:  Belvoir Castle (“beautiful view” in French, but pronounced “Beaver Castle” by the English because they couldn’t pronounce the French word ages ago) is the current home of the Duke of Rutland. The castle dates back to Norman times, and has been the ancestral home of the Manners family for five hundred years. The current duke is the 11^th duke. He lives here with his wife and five children. I have a passing acquaintance with the duke’s younger brother.

 

Next was Belton House (above) in Lincolnshire – a beautiful Elizabethan manor built in 1688. Belton was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ‘Beltone’ meaning a village located on a dry piece of land farmed by families or groups of individuals. In the 1600’s, the Brownlow family began acquiring land in the area, and eventually built Belton House along with its fabulous gardens, orangerie and deer park.

Burghley House

 

Next up was Burghley House, considered “England’s Greatest Elizabethan House.” It was built in 1543 by William Cecil, chief minister to Queen Elizabeth I. Imagine all the history, intrigue, and royal machinations that have been played out here! The Cecil family still lives in one part of this amazing castle.

 

Of course, no trip to English castles would be complete without a visit to Nottingham Castle (above), home to the Robin Hood legend. (Jenna & I laughed out loud at the directions our GPS gave us to get there...) The original castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068, but everyone knows it mostly from around 1194 when it was besieged by King Richard I (Richard the Lionhart) who seized it from his evil brother John, who suppressed the poor people around Nottingham and gave rise to Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Nothing remains of that original castle except this entryway (above) and the castle wall. A manor house was built on this site in the 1800’s.

 

The only real “ruin” we saw that day was Kirby Hall in Northhamptonshire (above). It was started in 1570 by Sir Humphrey Stafford, but completed by Sir Christopher Hatton, one of Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite courtiers. It fell into ruin in the nineteenth century, but is now being restored by English Heritage. There’s a beautiful parterre garden, and a flock of peacocks that still live there to this day!

Jenna and I also tried to visit Rockingham Castle in Market Harborough, which was built in 1066 and was the oldest castle on our list, but unfortunately, it was closed to visitors that day!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this very abbreviated tour of Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. It’s just a small slice of the countless castles you can still see in England!

What about you? Ever been to England? Are you the ‘swinging Londoner’ type or, like me, more of the ‘walk back into history’ type?  Tell me about your experience!

Leigh

www.leighcourt.com   

 

 

 

 

Off To England!

My fellow Fierce Romance blogger Leigh Court and I are off to England for a fun-filled (er, I mean research-focused) ten-day trip.

Leigh will probably have pictures for you by her next blog post on July 26.  Since Leigh writes historical romance, she’s insisting we take archery lessons and learn the finer points of falconry while we’re there. We'll probably be visiting ruins of old castles as well. On the other hand, she’s letting me drag her to a Rolling Stones concert in Hyde Park in London! This is why we get along so well J

Who knows? If we get really lucky, we may be in England when Duchess Kate gives birth! I’d love to be part of the country-wide celebrations.

So ‘cheerio’ until next month!

Cheers,
Jenna
www.jennaives.com

 

Stirling Castle, Scotland, Part 3: Inside the Palace

Between 1538-42 James V, the King of Scotland, had this building, the Palace, built for himself and his French queen, Mary of Guise. A couple weeks ago, I showed you the outside of the building and the original Stirling Heads which adorned the ceilings. Below are the important rooms inside the Palace

This is the recently recreated Royal Lodgings of James V and Mary of Guise as they would’ve looked in the 1540s. Experts researched for years to get every detail exact so we can see and appreciate how rich they would’ve looked when new.

Above is the King’s Outer Hall. A sign on site reads: “Only people of some social standing were allowed into this room to wait for a possible audience with the king. Staff then decided who might be given the privilege of petitioning or conferring with the monarch. The chosen few were invited to enter the King’s Inner Hall.”

I loved this suit of armor displayed in the room.

 This oak door is original 16^th-century and this was verified by dendrochronology. It is amazing it survived so many years given Stirling’s military occupation.

The King’s Inner Hall “Visitors had the opportunity to meet the monarch in this room. Access to the king was tightly controlled—it was a great honour. Look for the Royal Arms of Scotland above the fireplace. The king’s chambers are unfurnished as they would have been after James V’s death.”

The painted design at the top of the walls is called grisaille paintwork, designed to mimic relief-carved stonework. The fireplace with its carved eagle capitals is original.

Recreations of the Stirling Heads reside on the ceiling as they would have in the 1540s, richly detailed and colorful.

The King’s Bedchamber: “Only the most important visitors and personal friends met the king in the intimacy of his bedchamber. Can you see the unicorn, a royal symbol of purity and strength, over the fireplace? The monarch probably dressed, washed and prayed here, while sleeping in a small room nearby.”

 James V’s crown is alternated with his royal ciper I5 is shown on the ceiling of the King’s Bedchamber. You will also see the royal arms, and symbols of the great European chivalric orders.

The Queen's Bedchamber

King James V died in 1542 and may not have seen this Palace completed. This is why his rooms are bare as they were originally. Contrasting those empty spaces are the richly furnished Queen’s Lodgings. Mary of Guise lived here after her husband’s death and eventually assumed control of Scotland as regent.

The Queen’s Bedchamber is right next to the King’s Bedchamber. The ceiling shows an arabesque antique style, in gold leaf, centered on the heraldic arms of the de Guise family. Luxurious brocaded gold cloth hangs on the walls. Persian carpets are on the floor and table.

The Queen’s Bedchamber: “This room was reserved for the queen and her most important visitors. The great state bed was symbolic—she slept in a small room nearby. Look for three birds shot by a single arrow painted on the ceiling, the mark of Queen Mary of Guise’s family.”

Detail of the alerion, three eagles shot with a single arrow, a deGuise symbol

Another ancient oak door leads into this room.

 The Queen’s Inner Hall: “Honoured guests would be granted a chance to meet the queen in this room. The stools and benches were for her ladies in waiting. The newly painted ceiling includes portraits of James and Mary, though it may once have been covered with carved heads.” Experts believe this because there were more heads than would’ve been required for the King’s Inner Hall only. Plus a visitor from 1731 described “two of these ceilings set of with ye well carved busts.” The set of Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries displayed in this room are highly prized.

“The Unicorn in Captivity”

These new tapestries were commissioned by Historic Scotland and some were woven at the castle. Each takes two to four years to complete. They are based on the original set of 16^th century tapestries now in the Cloisters Museum of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Based on remaining inventories, it is believed that James and Mary had a number of tapestries. A set could have cost as much as a new warship. This set contains 7 tapestries that tell the story of hunting the unicorn in order to obtain its horn, believed to have magical powers of purification. This story could have several different interpretations, from religious to romantic.

Detail of “The Unicorn is Found”

The Queen’s Outer Hall: “This was the waiting room for people hoping for an audience with the queen. Those selected by her staff then moved to the Queen’s Inner Hall. This room was also used as an informal dining room.”

Interesting detail of the ceiling in the Queen's Outer Hall.

James V

Mary of Guise

I hope you enjoyed this visit to James V's and Mary's royal home.
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Carnasserie Castle, Kilmartin Glen

Today we continue our tour of Kilmartin Glen in Argyll, Scotland, with a visit to Carnasserie Castle. We walked across sheep pastures and up a hill to visit this castle, which is a couple of miles from Kilmartin Village. It is now owned and cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.

Carnasserie Castle was built in 1565 by Bishop John Carswell who was the Rector of Kilmartin and Bishop of the Isles. He's best known for having published the first Gaelic translation of John Knox’s Liturgy.

Despite some of the design features, such as these double keyhole gunloops, it's evident the castle was not designed for defense but mainly as a home.

 View from the castle grounds of grazing sheep, trees and mountains in the distance.

Walled courtyard

A walled courtyard garden. An inscription on the archway reads: "SDC LHL 1681, for Sir Duncan Campbell, 4th Baronet and Lady Henrietta Lindsay, whose support for Argyll's uprising led to the castle's destruction."

View of the castle from the walled courtyard.

When Carswell died in 1572, the castle went to his patron, the Earl of Argyll. But Carswell’s son and grandson occupied the castle until 1643 when the 8^th Earl of Argyll sold Carnasserie to Sir Dugald Campbell, 3^rd Baronet of Auchinbreck. He had some changes and improvements made to the castle and gardens.

The cellar with a display of some broken architectural elements which fell from the castle. You also see the back side of the  double keyhole gunloop.

Fireplace

When the 9^th Earl joined the failed Monmouth Rebellion against James VII in 1685, the castle was captured and destroyed by Royalist forces.

Click on the above picture to see a larger version. You can read about the design of the castle and Carswell.

The interior with newly constructed walkways which allow you to explore various parts of the castle

 We climbed the five-storey towers to the parapet walk and took in the great views over the Glen.

The exterior door.

A spiral stairwell typical of Scottish castles.

There used to be wooden floors separating these different levels.

I hope you've enjoyed this little visit to Carnasserie Castle. If you have visited it, please let me know. What is your favorite Scottish castle?
Thanks!!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Workshop: The Castles of England & France

Celtic Hearts Romance Writers Academy is proud to announce an upcoming online workshop for April.

Workshop Title: The Castles of England & France 1100 - 1500

Presenter: Sharron Gunn

Date: April 3 - May 13

Description: Castles! Romantic? Yes! Shrouded in mystery? Yes, but this course will help you lift the veil a bit and take a peek at medieval life. Castles still dominate the landscape of England and France from the magnificent ruins of Chinon to the more humble Hever Castle. The number of people in a medieval household varied from about a 100 to over 500 for the monarch. The kings and the most powerful nobles had several residences and moved through the medieval countryside from one to the other to eat up their food rents and impress all with their wealth and power. Castles were centres of government and justice, but also the good life. Learn about their evolution and the people who lived in them; learn how knights, originally not free or noble, improved their status until knighthood became the epitome of chivalry. Enrich your writing with detailed descriptions of castles and biographies of the Middle Ages.

Discussion and questions are encouraged, and there will be handouts and assignments.

Course Outline:

Society:

1. Kings and Magnates

2. Queens and Ladies

3. Knights

4. Daily Life: Hunts, Tournaments, Feasts & War

5. Daily Life: Servers, Attendants & Artisans


The Castles:


6. The Norman Tradition: The Motte and Bailey

7. The Great Age of Castles - 13th & 14th centuries

8. Tower Houses & Fortified Manors

9. Castles in a Changing World: Gunpowder

10. Palaces


About the Presenter:

Sharron Gunn lives in British Columbia, and teaches Gaelic as a non-credit university course, and French in high school. Of Scottish, French and Irish origin, she was born on the east coast of Canada where there are many people of the same background. Some knowledge of the Gaelic and French languages and cultures was inevitable.

While living over eight years in Europe, she studied the languages and history of Great Britain and France. She has a diplôme from the University of Nancy, France, a B.A. in French and a masters degree (2nd first degree) in Scottish History and Celtic Studies from the University of Glasgow. She has just finished her first novel, an historical fantasy set in Scotland.

Deadline to register: March 31

Fee: $10 CHRW members; $15 non-members. RWA Membership isn't required; anyone can take our courses. Celtic Hearts members receive 2 free workshops a year.

Where to sign up: http://www.celtichearts.org/chwksp.html
Please fill out the online form.

Thank you for considering our workshops!!
Vonda Sinclair
VP & Education Coordinator