ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH CASTLE

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

ASHBY CASTLE

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The standing remains of Ashby Castle, a fortified house cum castle on the eastern outskirts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The manor of Ashby was granted by William I to Hugh de Grantmesnil and subsequently passed by marriage to the Zouch family towards the end of the 12th century. The site is primarily a 12th century house which was redesigned and rebuilt over a period of several centuries. Between 1464 and 1483 Lord Hastings undertook an extensive building programme at Ashby, whilst retaining many of the site's existing structures. During the Civil War it was besieged and surrendered to the Parliamentarians in 1646. Several principal buildings were slighted, rendering them untenable, and Ashby was abandoned as a dwelling. The buildings of the early Norman house are thought originally to have been timber structures which were replaced after 1150 by ones built of stone. The standing remains of the 12th century hall and solar are situated in the central part of the site. In circa 1350 the hall was redesigned as a single storey building and stone arcades were constructed to support the roof. At the same time a new solar was built and the existing solar was used as a pantry and buttery. To the west of the hall are the standing remains of a kitchen building erected between 1350 and 1400. To the north and south of the castle are two courtyard areas with the northern courtyard retaining the buried remains of the gatehouse to the site. In 1474 Lord Hastings obtained a licence to erect a fortified house at Ashby. Several new buildings were constructed including a large tower house, known as the Hastings Tower, a chapel and a small courtyard of domestic buildings.

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(SK 3611 1663) Castle (G.T) (In ruins) (1)

Ashby de la Zouch Castle. The manor of Ashby was granted by William I to one of his principal followers, Hugh de Grentmeisnil, and subsequently passed by marriage to the Zouch family. The earliest remains of buildings are certain sections of the walls of the hall, buttery, and pantry, which appear to belong to the middle of the twelfth century. In the course of the next two centuries these buildings were rebuilt, and the kitchen building and solar added to them. After the Wars of the Roses, Edward IV granted Ashby to his Lord Chamberlain, William, Lord Hastings, who between the years 1474 and 1483 added the tower, which bears his name, and the chapel. These were the last additions of importance to the castle, which was `slighted' after the Civil War. (2)

The remains of the castle are in a good state of repair, and the M.O.W. are still proceeding with restoration. Apart from some minor alterations the published 25" survey is correct. (3)

Castle Ruins (Including 2 isolated towers at south-east and south-west angles of outer wall). Grade I. Late C15 with additions. Generally stone but with some brickwork including 2 isolated towers at south-east and south-west angles of outer wall. Prominent landmark in association with the church and with Manor House School. (4)

As part of the RCHME's National Forest Project the castle was mapped using good quality air photographs. It was seen and recorded as a polygonal enclosure, 190m by 140m, defined by a stone foundation on 8 sides.

Centred at:-SK 3611 1665
Additional NGR's:
SK 3604 1670
SK 3608 1654
SK 3620 1659
(Morph No. FR.136.1.1)
See SK 31 NE 77 for associated Post Medieval garden features described by authority 4.
(5)

SK 361 166. Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle. Scheduled. (6)

SK 3612 1665. Ashby Castle and associated formal garden.

The monument includes the standing, earthwork and buried remains of Ashby Castle, a fortified dwelling house, and the earthwork remains of an associated formal garden known as The Wilderness (see SK 31 NE 77).

Scheduled (RSM) No 17121. (7)

Listed by Cathcart King. (8)

Additional reference. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" 1923.

( 2) General reference

Ministry of Works. 1953. Guide to Ashby de la Zouch Castle (TL Jones)

( 3) Field Investigators Comments

J Baird/03-JUL-1972/Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator

( 4) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

North West Leicestershire, 29-SEP-1977 Page(s)42

(5) Field Investigators Comments

Yvonne Boutwood/09-JUN-1993/RCHME: National Forest Project

(6) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Leicestershire Page(s)12

(7) Scheduled Monument Notification

13-NOV-1995

( 8) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

1 Page(s)252

( 9) edited by Peter Furtado et al 1988 Ordnance Survey guide to castles in Britain

Page(s)133

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