Warblington Castle
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Warblington Castle or Warblington manor was a moated manor near Langstone in Havant parish, Hampshire. Most of the castle was destroyed during the English Civil War, leaving only a single gate tower, part of a wall, and a gateway. The property, now in the village of Warblington, is privately owned and does not allow for public access.[1]
| Warblington Castle | |
|---|---|
| Hampshire, England | |
 Part of the remains of Warblington Castle | |
  Warblington Castle | |
| Coordinates | 50.8444°N 0.9659°W |
| Grid reference | grid reference SU729055 |
| Type | Fortified manor house |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Ruined |
Located near Langstone in Hampshire,[2] a Saxon settlement was established in the 7th century. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086,[3] indicating a population of about 120.[4]
The owner of the property at the time was Roger earl of Shrewsbury; after his death in 1094, it was inherited by his second son, Hugh. The owner in 1186 was William de Courci.[5]
Some sources claim that the manor received a licence to crenellate in 1340[6] but this is disputed.[7] The manor passed through several hands before coming into the possession of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick in the 15th century.[8] Subsequently, the villagers were removed with the land becoming a private deer park for Neville.[4]
With the execution of Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick by Henry VII the manor passed to the crown.[8] In 1513 Henry VIII gave the manor to Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury who had a new moated manor built [8] between 1515 and 1525 [6]
After Margaret Pole was attainted for treason temporary grants of the manor were made to William FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton and Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton.[2] Henry VIII then granted the manor to Sir Richard Cotton.[9] In October 1551, Mary of Guise the widow of James V of Scotland stayed a night in the castle as the guest of Sir Richard Cotton.[10][11] Edward VI visited the "fair house of Sir Richard Cotton" in August 1552.[12]
Elizabeth I may have visited for two days in 1586.[2] George Cotton of Warblington was a Catholic recusant, visited by priests including Thomas Lister alias Butler in 1603, and in 1613 a reliquary of a martyr Mark Barkworth was found in John Cotton's study.[13] The Cotton family continued to hold the house until the English civil war.[9]
In January 1643 Parliamentarians under Colonel Norton garrisoned the house with a force of between 40 and 80 men.[9] It was besieged and taken by Lord Hopton although Colonel Norton managed to escape.[9][14]
The Cotton family were Royalists which resulted in the manor being largely demolished by Parliamentarian forces.[9] One turret of the gatehouse was left as an aid to navigation for ships in Langstone channel.[8] The turret is octagonal in form and four stories in height.[2] It is largely built from brick with stone dressing and battlements.[15] After The Restoration, the property was returned to the Cotton family who built a farmhouse near the ruin.[1] The latter is now Grade II listed.[16]
Today, the turret, the arch of the gate and the drawbridge support in the moat still survive.[6] The land remains private property.[17] The remains of the castle is a grade II* listed building and a scheduled Monument.[7] The Listing specifics define it as a "gateway tower, including the moulded stone arch of the gate, some of the south wall of the tower, a complete south-east octagonal stair turret, of 5 storeys, and part of the east wall (facing the courtyard)".[18]
The castle is located within the Warblington Conservation Area which also contains the adjoining Old Farm House,[19] an old cemetery, the Grade I listed St Thomas à Becket Church, Warblington[20] and the Old Rectory.[3]
As of May 2020, the owners of the castle were retired Olympic rowers Tom and Diana Bishop who live in the seven bedroom Old Farm House on the property.[21] At that time, the property also included four acres of gardens, an orchard and a swimming pool.[19]
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