Some History and background
Carisbrooke Castle has always been the most important stronghold on the Isle of Wight and particularly guarding the important naval base of Portsmouth. Set on top of the chalk ridge running across the island, its hilltop position commands the view.
It is famous for its donkeys, the royal prison of Charles I for ten months before his execution, and as the home of Princess Beatrice, daughter of Queen Victoria until 1944.
The area was wealthy in Roman times and there is evidence of at least three Roman villas. By the C6th there was a Saxon settlement which had developed into a major Anglo Saxon burgh by the C8th. It was attacked in Viking Raids around 1000, when the burgh was fortified by a wall.
Following the Norman Conquest, William I needed to secure the area against further Saxon revolts and created a series of Baronies along the south coast for his loyal followers. William FitzOsbern, a relative and close counsellor of William I, was given major land holdings in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight. He was one of William's major castle builders and constructed a wooden motte and bailey on the site of the Saxon fort to control a potentially hostile population. The Domesday Book of 1086 records a castle and church here.
William Fitzherbert’s heir rebelled against William and was deprived of his lands.
By 1100, the castle was granted to Richard de Redvers by Henry I. His son Baldwin, was responsible for building the present massive motte-and-bailey castle and curtain wall a few years later. As the motte would not have the weight of a massive stone tower, a shell keep was built with buildings round the inner walls.
Baldwin supported Matilda in her claim to her father’s throne and the castle was forced to surrender to Stephen’s forces when the water supply ran out.
The last of the Redvers, Isabella de Fortibus, was a wealthy heiress and the castle was her main residence and administrative centre for her massive estates. She transformed the castle in the C13th into a more comfortable home befitting her wealth and prestige. Much of what we see at Carisbrooke today is her work. The great hall was the heart of the castle and was used for meals, business, justice and government.
She had her own private chapel and the Constable Lodging contained her private room, as well as an apartment for her Constable who was responsible for the administration of the estate.
She outlived all her children and on her death bed in 1274, agreed to the sale of the Castle to Edward I. The castle has remained Crown property ever since, being governed by a succession of Crown-appointed lords of the island.
During the Hundred Years War, the Isle of Wight was raided five times between 1336 and 1370 and the castle was besieged in 1377. The castle was strengthened by the addition of a massive outer and postern gate.
The castle was somewhat neglected in the first half of the C16th and effectively became a munitions store.
In 1583, Sir George Carey, a cousin of Elizabeth I, was appointed captain of the castle. He rebuilt the domestic buildings and added a new range of building, the Carey Range to reflect his status and importance. Backing onto the curtain wall, this had 13 main rooms and a long gallery on the first floor which ran the length of the building and was used for exercise and recreation. Many of the private apartments of Countess Isabella became service rooms and kitchens.
He built the present well house and treadmill in the 1580s as well as a large underground water cistern near the Constable’s Lodgings.
In response to a major invasion scare by the Spanish in 1587, Carey was responsible for turning the castle into an artillery fort, substantially improving the defences to cope artillery warfare. A rectangular rampart and ditch was built around the castle. The massive earth bank helped absorb the impact of enemy cannon fire.
There were five defensive bastions designed to carry artillery. Spaces underneath provided storage and shelter for the troops..
He also refurbished the beacon chains around the coast that formed an early warning system against invasion.
During the English Civil War, the castle came into the hands of the Parliamentary forces after the wife of the absent Governor surrendered to the Parliamentary army. The castle was used a as a prison for high status Royalists, including Charles I in 1647–8. Initially he was allowed considerable freedom and there was even a bowls lawn created for him.
He tried to escape from the castle in 1648 but was unable to get through the bars of his window.
He was then moved to more secure accommodation in the castle. After his execution in 1649, the castle was used as a prison for his youngest son, Prince Henry and his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who died here in 1650 aged 14, just a few weeks after her arrival.
The castle declined in importance in the C18th although was still used as an occasional residence of the governors of the Isle of Wight, and there were some repairs and additions. Carey’s Mansion and nearby rooms were demolished as they were no longer needed. It was mainly used as a stores depot and military hospital.
By the mid C19th, the castle was no longer used as a residence although it was still used by the Isle of Wight Artillery Militia and passed into the care of the Office of Works in 1856. Many of the buildings were in poor repair. They carried out minor restoration on the Constable’s Lodgings before funds ran out.
Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Queen Victoria, had spent most of her time with her mother at Osbourne House. She was appointed governor of the Isle of Wight in 1896 following the death of her husband, Prince Henry of Battenberg. She decided to use the castle as her summer home in 1913 and adapted the Hall and Constable’s Lodgings for her use. Part of the range in the south east corner was adapted as staff accommodation
She restored the gatehouse as a memorial to her husband and it became the first home of the Carisbrooke Castle Museum. She was responsible for the restoration of the chapel of St Nicholas in 1904 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the execution of Charles I and the transformation into a memorial to the men of the Island who died in the First World War.
She continued to live at Carisbrooke Castle during the summer months until 1938.
The castle is occasionally used for island ceremonies but is now primarily a tourist attraction in the care of English Heritage.
website
plan
cont...
Carisbrooke Castle has always been the most important stronghold on the Isle of Wight and particularly guarding the important naval base of Portsmouth. Set on top of the chalk ridge running across the island, its hilltop position commands the view.
It is famous for its donkeys, the royal prison of Charles I for ten months before his execution, and as the home of Princess Beatrice, daughter of Queen Victoria until 1944.
The area was wealthy in Roman times and there is evidence of at least three Roman villas. By the C6th there was a Saxon settlement which had developed into a major Anglo Saxon burgh by the C8th. It was attacked in Viking Raids around 1000, when the burgh was fortified by a wall.
Following the Norman Conquest, William I needed to secure the area against further Saxon revolts and created a series of Baronies along the south coast for his loyal followers. William FitzOsbern, a relative and close counsellor of William I, was given major land holdings in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight. He was one of William's major castle builders and constructed a wooden motte and bailey on the site of the Saxon fort to control a potentially hostile population. The Domesday Book of 1086 records a castle and church here.
William Fitzherbert’s heir rebelled against William and was deprived of his lands.
By 1100, the castle was granted to Richard de Redvers by Henry I. His son Baldwin, was responsible for building the present massive motte-and-bailey castle and curtain wall a few years later. As the motte would not have the weight of a massive stone tower, a shell keep was built with buildings round the inner walls.
Baldwin supported Matilda in her claim to her father’s throne and the castle was forced to surrender to Stephen’s forces when the water supply ran out.
The last of the Redvers, Isabella de Fortibus, was a wealthy heiress and the castle was her main residence and administrative centre for her massive estates. She transformed the castle in the C13th into a more comfortable home befitting her wealth and prestige. Much of what we see at Carisbrooke today is her work. The great hall was the heart of the castle and was used for meals, business, justice and government.
She had her own private chapel and the Constable Lodging contained her private room, as well as an apartment for her Constable who was responsible for the administration of the estate.
She outlived all her children and on her death bed in 1274, agreed to the sale of the Castle to Edward I. The castle has remained Crown property ever since, being governed by a succession of Crown-appointed lords of the island.
During the Hundred Years War, the Isle of Wight was raided five times between 1336 and 1370 and the castle was besieged in 1377. The castle was strengthened by the addition of a massive outer and postern gate.
The castle was somewhat neglected in the first half of the C16th and effectively became a munitions store.
In 1583, Sir George Carey, a cousin of Elizabeth I, was appointed captain of the castle. He rebuilt the domestic buildings and added a new range of building, the Carey Range to reflect his status and importance. Backing onto the curtain wall, this had 13 main rooms and a long gallery on the first floor which ran the length of the building and was used for exercise and recreation. Many of the private apartments of Countess Isabella became service rooms and kitchens.
He built the present well house and treadmill in the 1580s as well as a large underground water cistern near the Constable’s Lodgings.
In response to a major invasion scare by the Spanish in 1587, Carey was responsible for turning the castle into an artillery fort, substantially improving the defences to cope artillery warfare. A rectangular rampart and ditch was built around the castle. The massive earth bank helped absorb the impact of enemy cannon fire.
There were five defensive bastions designed to carry artillery. Spaces underneath provided storage and shelter for the troops..
He also refurbished the beacon chains around the coast that formed an early warning system against invasion.
During the English Civil War, the castle came into the hands of the Parliamentary forces after the wife of the absent Governor surrendered to the Parliamentary army. The castle was used a as a prison for high status Royalists, including Charles I in 1647–8. Initially he was allowed considerable freedom and there was even a bowls lawn created for him.
He tried to escape from the castle in 1648 but was unable to get through the bars of his window.
He was then moved to more secure accommodation in the castle. After his execution in 1649, the castle was used as a prison for his youngest son, Prince Henry and his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who died here in 1650 aged 14, just a few weeks after her arrival.
The castle declined in importance in the C18th although was still used as an occasional residence of the governors of the Isle of Wight, and there were some repairs and additions. Carey’s Mansion and nearby rooms were demolished as they were no longer needed. It was mainly used as a stores depot and military hospital.
By the mid C19th, the castle was no longer used as a residence although it was still used by the Isle of Wight Artillery Militia and passed into the care of the Office of Works in 1856. Many of the buildings were in poor repair. They carried out minor restoration on the Constable’s Lodgings before funds ran out.
Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Queen Victoria, had spent most of her time with her mother at Osbourne House. She was appointed governor of the Isle of Wight in 1896 following the death of her husband, Prince Henry of Battenberg. She decided to use the castle as her summer home in 1913 and adapted the Hall and Constable’s Lodgings for her use. Part of the range in the south east corner was adapted as staff accommodation
She restored the gatehouse as a memorial to her husband and it became the first home of the Carisbrooke Castle Museum. She was responsible for the restoration of the chapel of St Nicholas in 1904 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the execution of Charles I and the transformation into a memorial to the men of the Island who died in the First World War.
She continued to live at Carisbrooke Castle during the summer months until 1938.
The castle is occasionally used for island ceremonies but is now primarily a tourist attraction in the care of English Heritage.
website
plan
cont...
