Dudley Castle Flashcards
stages in which the castle changed.
Motte and Bailey, Formidable Stone Castle, Renaissance Home, Ruin and a zoo.
origins of the first castle
- 1066 Battle of Hastings
-William the conqueror granted rewards to his followers (Ansculf) who built a motte and baiiley
Advantages of building a castle at Dudley
- Natural water source for drinking and farming
-abundance of timber and stone-
-castle built on high ground (offered a 360 view so you can see and apprehend attackers)
-better for defence,
-centre of Ansculfs land so easier to collect taxes, really close to travel routes.
Also reinforces the feudal system
People who owned the castle
-Ansculf, de Paganels, De Somery, Sutton, John Dudley, The Ward Family
what were Ansculf’s contribution?
- first person to build the original wooden Motte and Bailey but there’s nothing left anymore.
What were the De Paganel’s contribution to the Castle?
- Owned the castle from 1100-1194. The family constructed the 2nd version in stone but due to Gervaise de Paganels involvement in the revolt against Henry II the castle was slighted.
What were the De Somery’s contribution to the castle?
- owned the castle from 1194 to 1321.
-Built the keep, inner and outer bailey’s and parts of the triple gate but struggled for funds so lacked large guard towers most castles in this period had.
What were the De Sutton’s contribution?
- Owned the castle from 1321 to 1533 and 1553 to 1643.
-Added a chapel and the triple gate, great chamber, great hall and solar but they did abandon the castle to live in Himley Hall.
What were John Dudley’s contributions
- owned the castle from 1533 to 1553 and transformed it from a fortress into a Renaissance Palace.
-Sharrington Range.
-Executed for treason (ended development of castle.
What were the Ward’s Family Contribution?
-Had the Stables constructed and ultimately gifted the castle to the town of Dudley allowing to become a zoo.
Dudley Castle Slighting (1647)
What was destroyed?
Oliver Cromwell ordered the keep (southern towers destroyed and most of the northern towers), gatehouse and curtain wall slighted.
Turning points during the Medieval age at Dudley Castle
- 2nd Barons War in which the castle was crenelated as Roger de Somery supported the king.
Before that Gervaise de Paganel was involved in a revolt against causing the castle to be slighted
Typicality of Dudley castle during the Medieval Age
- built to assert William, Duke of Normandy’s Dominance to protect from rebellion.
-e.g shrewsbury castle built in 1068 to protect from Welsh rebels
-Kenilworth Castle was also built as a motte and bailey originally but quickly converted into stone to strengthen the castle.
Local and National significance during the medieval age.
- asserted Norman dominance.
-constructed as a defensive structure to protect Normans from rebels.
-Also provided homes, shelter and farming. (Local)
-centre of England so easier to collect taxes and maintain law and order, really close to travel routes.
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Turning points during Tudor Age
- Construction of Sherrington Range so changed castle from defensive stronghold into a renaissance style palace.
Place for leisure and luxury and included bed chambers, buttery and The great hall, reflecting peace in England at the time, no war imminent.
-Elizabeth visits in around 1575, reinforcing Dudley’s grandeur and status.
Typicality of Dudley during the Tudor Age
-Many castles were remodelled to include grand Tudor homes like Kenilworth Castle but Shrewsbury was falling into disrepair.
Purpose of Dudley Castle in Stuart England
- Goes back to being defence
Purpose of Dudley Castle in the Industrial Era
-No purpose because of the Great Fire in 1750.
-Recreational activities such as fairs and parades took place.
Challenges of studying Dudley Castle
- Ruin (doesn’t look how it did in it’s prime)
-Key Parts slighted after civil war
-Burnt in 1750
-Original landscape differs from original castle
-Changed 4-5 times
-Later versions of castle built on top of earlier parts of the castle
-Lack of written and pictorial evidence
-No eyewitness testimony of it’s design
How can we overcome some of the difficulties of studying Dudley Castle
- Demographic maps.
-Act of Civil War
-Historical accounts of the burning
-Research the history of why it changed
-Doomsday book
-investigate the uses
-Artist reconstruction models
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Importance of Site nationally and locally
-linked to norman conquest
-mentioned in doomsday book
-involved in the anarchy (Stephen and Matilda) and estates destroyed.
-seen as a suitable place for holding MQS
What was the doomsday book?
- 1086
great survey commissioned by King William
helps know about construction of the site at it’s earliest.
Local and National Significance of Dudley Castle in the Tudor Era
= Local
portrayed it’s wealth, power and status to local people
-Local people became servants highlighting hierarchy
National -one of england’s finest houses and Elizabeth visited.
Typicality of Dudley Castle (Stuart Era)
