Robin Hood and me in the 1990's outside the Castle Wall.
Showing posts with label Nottingham Castle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nottingham Castle. Show all posts
The Return of the King
The news of the coming of the king, so long and so desperately awaited, flew faster than the north wind. (William of Newburgh)
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| Richard I (1157-1199) |
At the end of most Robin Hood films and stories we witness the return of King Richard I after being held as a hostage by Leopold of Austria. Disguised as an abbot, the king hunts down Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest and pardons all the outlaws. Prince John's evil attempt to usurp his brother's throne is foiled and the country rejoices at the return of the crusading king. But what was the Lionheart's reception really like when he got back to the shores of England?
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| Richard I from the Chronicle of King's and Patrick Barr as King Richard |
I have been fascinated with the legend of Robin Hood for over forty years and have spent much of that time researching the history behind his phenomenal popularity. Surprisingly Richard I does not appear in the existing medieval ballads about the outlaw of Sherwood Forest. It was the Scottish chronicler John Major (or Mair) (1469-1550) who first linked the two of them together in his History of Greater Britain (1521). Since that time, Robin Hood's activities have been placed at the time of England's lionhearted king and his treacherous brother Prince John.The historical turmoil at that time provided a perfect backdrop to an endless stream of theatrical productions and fictional novels.
Recently I returned to Kent with my new partner, Jules Frusher and together we visited Rochester Castle. With it's stunning 12th-century stone keep, it probably has the best preserved example of early Norman castle construction anywhere in England or France. During a long eventful history, it was besieged by King John's (1166-1216) forces during the first baron's war. I also learnt that Richard I had stopped off at the fortress during his journey back from the Holy Land. Looking at the remains of the Great Hall, I couldn't help but imagine what it must have been like during the time of the Plantagenet kings and in particular Richard I. So I decided to investigate the return of the Lionheart to England and see if it was as dramatic as Hollywood would have us believe.
On the 4th February 1194 at 9 o'clock in the morning King Richard I's ransom of 100,000 marks was completed and hostages were handed over to insure the outstanding 50,000 marks would be paid. It was then that the Archbishops of Mainz and Cologne formerly released Richard and he was brought to his mother, the formidable Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. It was said that she was so overcome with emotion upon seeing her beloved son again that she broke down in tears. According to Richard of Howden's (the king's clerk) calculations, Richard had been in prison for one year, six weeks and three days.
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| Martia Hunt as Eleanor of Aquitaine |
During their journey back to England, through Europe, Richard and Eleanor stopped for three days in Cologne and on the 12th February the Archbishop received him with joy and they sang mass in the beautiful cathedral, which included the choir singing:
Now I know that God has sent his angel and taken me from the hand of Herod.
From Cologne, Richard traveled to Louvain and then onto Brussels, arriving there on the 25th February. A number of ships from England had now sailed into the port of Antwerp including Richard's favourite galley, Trench-e-mer (the sea cleaver) and the king and his mother were welcomed aboard by its faithful captain, Alan Trenchemer, who sailed the vessel onward to Zwin.
It was in the tidal inlet of Zwin on the Belgian-Dutch border, that the royal party dropped anchor for five days, supposedly delayed by bad weather. But historians generally agree that this was to allow Richard time to survey the inlets and islands under cover of darkness, through fear of being intercepted. The Lionheart was well aware that he faced not only a land-based invasion threat from King Philip of France, but a naval risk too.
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| 19th Century image of Richard I on-board ship |
Finally, on the 13th March, five weeks after his release, the little convoy docked in bright sunlight at Sandwich in Kent and Richard set foot on English soil for the first time since December 1189. But there were no big celebrations as they stepped off the vessel. Instead, Richard decided to visit Canterbury, claiming he did not want to visit any other church until he had visited the seat of St. Thomas Beckett of blessed memory and payed his respects. (Beckett had been murdered twenty three years before).
After giving thanks for his freedom at Beckett's shrine, Richard and Queen Eleanor travelled along the Pilgrims' Way. This included journeying along the old Roman road known in Anglo-Saxon times as Watling Street which ran from Dover to London, and passed through Ospringe, Chatham and Rochester.
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| Pilgrims Way in Kent |
As the royal party rode through the Kent countryside, news of the king's release was steadily spreading across the kingdom. Between them Philip of France and Prince John had offered to pay the German King and Emperor, Henry VI, a much larger sum than the current ransom, to detain Richard in captivity. But the deal never took place and when Philip heard Richard had been freed, he sent Prince John a message:
Look to yourself; the devil is loosed
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| Hubert Gregg as Prince John |
Prince John's treacherous attempt at usurping the throne had failed miserably. The council of the realm declared his estates forfeit, his castles were besieged and the bishops excommunicated him. One of John's supporters, the castellan of St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, Henry de la Pomeroy, died of fright when he heard the Lionheart had been released. John fled at once to the safety of the French court.
Hubert Walter, Richard's new Chief Justicar and Archbishop of Canterbury was waiting for him at Rochester Castle. As his monarch approached, Walter dismounted and knelt before him. Richard too climbed down from his horse and gave his fellow crusader an emotional embrace. That night they both stayed in the keep of the castle, spending most of the evening deep in conversation.
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| Rochester Castle in Kent |
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| Below the Great Hall in Rochester Castle |
Three days after arriving at Sandwich in Kent, King Richard and Queen Eleanor crossed the Thames by the old wooden bridge and entered London:
to the great acclaim of both clergy and people, he was received in procession through the decorated city into the church of St. Paul's to give thanks for his restoration. Afterwards as they rode to the palace of Westminster they were hailed with joy along the Strand. (Ralph of Diceto)
The citizens of London decked the streets with banners and bunting and received their king and his mother with an enthusiastic and honest joy. Although the country had been fleeced of a huge amount of its wealth, there was still enough to give him a lavish reception. The German agents who were present to oversee that the outstanding balance of Richard's ransom would be paid, were stunned to see that the country had not been brought to its knees and commented that the ransom had been put too low.
Oh king! if our emperor had suspected this, you would not have been let off so lightly. (Brompt.-Hemingford)
The legendary knight William the Marshall, was so keen to greet his king that he missed his brother's funeral so that he could hurry to witness all the celebrations.
Such joy have I in the king's coming that I can withstand the grief that I did not believe I could bear. (William Marshall- Crouch)
Richard reached Nottingham on 25th March:
with such a vast multitude of men, and such a clangor of trumpets and clarions, that those who were in the castle were astonished and confounded and alarmed, and trembling came upon them, but still they did not believe that the king had come and supposed that the whole of this was done by the chiefs of the army for the purpose of deceiving them. The king, however,took up his quarters next to the castle, so that the archers of the castle pierced the kings men at his very feet. The king being incensed with this put on his armour, and commanded his army to make an assault on the castle. (Roger de Hovenden, Itinerarium Regis Ricardi )
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| Nottingham Castle |
The siege had already been started by William earl of Ferrers, David earl of Huntingdon (the brother of William the Lion, king of Scots) and Randulf earl of Chester. This is peculiar because the legend of Robin Hood not only links the outlaw with the earldom of Huntingdon but also with Randulf earl of Chester (Piers Plowman c.1377).
David, earl of Huntingdon, took part in Richard's coronation and shortly afterwards married the sister of Randulf earl of Chester.
King Richard according to some sources arrived with just a few hours of daylight left, and as he stood watching the siege two of those next to him were suddenly hit by arrows. The defenders were convinced that the fanfare was just a trick and fought on. The Lionheart ordered an immediate assault. Such were his military talents that by dusk the wooden gateway to the outer bailey and the barbican had been captured and burnt. But the defenders lay secure behind the high stone walls of the middle bailey and during the night deliberately burnt down the castle's outer works, depriving the besiegers of as much cover as possible.
The next day Richard ordered Master Elias of Oxford to bring stone throwing engines from London.The king decided not to make another assault on the castle until the machines were ready. Meanwhile he hung from gibbets, in full view of the defenders, some men at arms captured outside of the castle. Richard's message was clear, if they continued to hold out they would all suffer the same fate. The Archbishop of Canterbury was also ordered to excommunicate the defenders.Clothed in a simple coat of light mail, with a steel cap on his head, he [Richard] advanced as far as the gate of the castle, preceded by men bearing before them large shields.
On the 27th March the bishop of Durham brought additional forces and prisoners from nearby Tickhill Castle.
But while the king was at dinner:
Ralph Murdac and William de Wendeval, constables of Nottingham Castle, sent two of their companions to see the king; who after having seen him, returned to the castle, to tell those who had sent them what they had seen and heard respecting the king and his preparations. When William de Wendeval and Roger de Montbegum heard of this, they went forth with twelve others from the castle, and threw themselves at the king's mercy, and returned to the castle no more.(Roger de Hovenden, Itinerarium Regis Ricardi)
Richard is reported to have said to his visitors from Nottingham Castle, 'Well, what can you see? Am I here?' But it was not until the third day of the siege, and the mediation of the archbishop of Canterbury, that the rest of the defenders were persuaded to surrender:
Philip de Worcester and Ralph de Worecester his brother, and all the rest who were in the castle, surrendered the castle to the king, and threw themselves on the king's mercy, for life and limb and worldly honour. (Roger de Hovenden)
The gates were opened and Richard entered Nottingham Castle and after which, according to Roger de Hovenden:
Richard, king of England went to see Clipston and the forests of Sherwood, which he had never seen before, and they pleased him greatly; after which on the same day he returned to Nottingham. (Roger de Hovenden)
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| Sherwood Forest |
Two days later, a Royal Council was held in the hastily repaired Great Hall of Nottingham Castle. Richard sat between the two archbishops. The 72 year old Queen Eleanor also attended the debate along with Hugh, bishop of Durham, Hugh bishop of Lincoln, William bishop of Ely, the king's chancellor, William bishop of Hereford, Henry bishop of Worcester, Henry, bishop of Exeter, John, bishop of Whitherne, earl David, brother of the king of Scotland, Hamelin, earl of Warenne, Ranulph earl of Chester, William earl of Ferrers, William earl of Salisbury and Roger Bigot.
The council would last four days. On the second day, legal proceedings began against not only Prince John but also the bishop of Coventry:
being aware of their secret plans, had devoted himself, and had give his adherence to the king of France and earl John, devising all kinds of mischief to the injury of his kingdom. Judgement was accordingly given, that earl John and the bishop of Coventry should be peremptorily cited, and if they should not come within forty days to take their trial, they pronounced that earl John had forfeited all rights in the kingdom and that the bishop of Coventry would be subjected to the judgement of the bishops. (Roger de Hovenden)
Two months later John, who had now been abandoned by the King of France and dispossessed of his revenues and lands in England, visited his mother Queen Eleanor. After a private consultation with her, he fell at Richard's feet in Lisieux, France and begged his brother's forgiveness. It was immediately given by Richard who said to his younger brother, 'Don't be afraid John, you are a child (John was in fact, 27 years old). You have got into bad company and it is those who have led you astray who will be punished.'
Later, one of Richard's envoy's, John of Alencon, looked Prince John in the face and warned him that the king had treated him better than he deserved and no doubt better than he would have treated his own brother.
The feuding brothers were reconciled, with the help of their mother.
So, on Richard's return to England, not only did he dramatically attack Nottingham Castle and expel his scheming brother, but also spent a day hunting in Sherwood Forest. Sadly there is no record of him meeting Robin Hood, but I hope that you will agree the history is just as intriguing as the legend.
More information can be found here on the research and history about Robin Hood. There are also many more pages about Nottingham Castle, the ballads about Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest.
Sources:
The Annals of Roger de Hovenden, (1853) Henry T. Riley
The Life and Times of Richard I, (1973) John Gillingham
Richard I, (1999) John Gillingham
Lionheart, (2014) Douglas Boyd
Eleanor of Aquitaine, (1999) Alison Weir
Blondel's Song, (2006) David Boyle
Lionheart and Lackland, (2006) Frank McLynn
Richard the Lionheart's Siege of Nottingham Castle.
Robin Hood kneels before Richard the Lionheart
Although Richard I does not appear in the existing medieval ballads of Robin Hood, it was only a matter of time before the two legendary characters came together in English myth. Today, Richard the Lionheart and Robin Hood are now inseparable in countless film and television productions of the outlaws adventures in Sherwood Forest. The Lionhearted king has always had a fascination for me and particularly his siege of Nottingham Castle in 1194. It was during this period in Richard's return to England that we come closest to the moment when the two legendary characters 'might' have met.
Robin Hood and Richard the Lionheart.
Due to the unrest at home and the threat to his lands in Normandy, caused by his brother John's alliance with Philip of France, Richard uncharacteristically had to turn his back on the Crusade in the Holy Land and return to England. Unfortunately his journey home was a disaster, culminating in his capture and imprisonment by Duke Leopold of Austria in December 1192. The Duke then sold Richard to Henry VI Emperor of Germany in March 1193. Meanwhile his trecherous brother Prince John, toured England, telling anyone that would listen that, King Richard was dead.
On Richard's departure to the Holy Land, John had not been given Nottingham Castle as part of his estates. But it was partly re-built in stone and held by Prince John along with several others,when news reached England of Richard's imprisonment and ransom of 150,000 marks (£100,000). This huge sum was twice the annual revenue of the English crown. Although, as Richard was master of the provences of the Angevin empire, the sum would eventually not only come from England, but also Normandy, Britanny and Aquitaine.
John had offered the Emperor 80,000 marks to keep Richard I imprisoned until Michaelmas, or a proportionate sum for every month he kept him captive beyond it. But the Holy Roman Emperor stood by his word and Philip sent a message to his ally, Prince John, "have a care, the devil is un-loosed." The Lionheart was a free man again, having been captive for one year, six weeks and three days. It was said that the castellan of St. Michaels Mount in Cornwall dropped dead of fright when he heard of Richard's return. Immedialtely Prince John escaped to France and lay low in Normandy.
King John
On the 20th March 1194, King Richard landed in Sandwich in Kent, from where he hastened to Canterbury, declaring that he did not want to visit any other church in England until he had visited the seat of St.Thomas Beckett. He then made his way to London via Rochester where a thanksgiving service was held in St.Paul's Cathedral. After two days in London the Lionheart then rode north to Nottingham to deal with his brother. While Richard was on his way back to England, the great Council had declared all Prince John's estates forfeit and the assembled bishops excomunicated him.
Richard reached Nottingham on 25th March, "with such a vast multitude of men, and such a clangor of trumpets and clarions, that those who were in the castle were astonished and confounded and alarmed, and trembling came upon them, but still they did not believe that the king had come and supposed that the whole of this was done by the chiefs of the army for the purpose of decieving them. The king, however,took up his quarters next to the castle, so that the archers of the castle pierced the kings men at his very feet. The king being incensed with this put on his armour, and commanded his army to make an assault on the castle. "
(Roger de Hovenden, Itinerarium Regis Ricardi ).
Richard's effigy in Fontevrault, France
Ralph Murdoc and William de Wendeval were holding the castle in Prince John's name and refused to surrender.
The siege had already been started by William Earl of Ferrers, David Earl of Huntingdon (the brother of William the Lion, king of Scots) and Randulf Earl of Chester. This is peculiar because the legend of Robin Hood not only links him with the earldom of Huntingdon but also with Randulf Earl of Chester ( 'Piers Plowman' c.1377).
David, Earl of Huntingdon, took part in Richard's coronation and shortly afterwards married the sister of Randulf Earl of Chester.
King Richard according to some sources arrived with just a few hours of daylight left and as he stood watching the siege, two of those next to him were suddenly hit by arrows.The Lionheart ordered an immediate assault. Such were his military talents that by dusk the wooden gateway to the outer bailey and the barbican had been captured and burnt. But the defenders lay secure behind the high stone walls of the middle bailey and during the night deliberately burnt down some buildings.
Clothed in a simple coat of light mail, with a steel cap on his head, he [Richard] advanced as far as the gate of the castle, preceded by men bearing before them large shields.
Nottingham Castle
The next day Richard ordered Master Elias of Oxford to bring stone throwing engines from London.The king decided not to make another assault on the castle till the machines were ready. Meanwhile he hung from gibbets, in full view of the defenders, some men at arms captured outside of the castle. He also summoned the Archbishop of Canterbury to excommunicate the defenders.
On the following day the Bishop of Durham brought additional forces and prisoners from nearby Tickhill Castle.
But while the king was at dinner:
Ralph Murdac and William de Wendeval, constables of Nottingham Castle, sent two of their companions to see the king; who after having seen him, returned to the castle, to tell those who had sent them what they had seen and heard respecting the king and his preperations. When William de Wendeval and Roger de Montbegum heard of this, they went forth with twelve others from the castle, and threw themselves at the king's mercy, and returned to the castle no more.
(Roger de Hovenden, Itinerarium Regis Ricardi)
But, it was not until the third day of the siege, and the mediation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, that the defenders were persuaded to surrender:
Ralph Murdac, Philip de Worcester and Ralph de Worecester his brother, and all the rest who were in the castle, surrendered the castle to the king, and threw themselves on the king's mercy, for life and limb and worldly honour.
(Roger de Hovenden)
Medieval Nottingham
The gates were opened and Richard entered the castle. Three days later, a Royal Council was held in the main hall. Richard sat between the two archbishops. The Queen Mother also attended the debate, which was to last for four days. They finally reached the decision to call upon Prince John to appear and answer the charges of treason whithin forty days. But due to the inter-cession of their mother, the feuding brothers were eventually reconciled.
On Palm Sunday, Richard rode off into Sherwood Forest to enjoy two days at the royal hunting lodge in Clipstone.
Roger of Hoveden in his Itinerarium Regis Ricardi, says:
Richard King of England did a view (perambulation) of Clipstone and Sherwood which of he had never seen before and it pleased him much.
We get more detail of Richard's trip by John Manwood (d.1610) in his Treatise of the Forest Laws:
“I have seen many ancient records in the tower of Nottingham Castle very badly kept, and scarce legible; in which Castle the Court is usually kept for Peverill-Fee: Amongst which it appears, that in the year 1194, King Richard being hunting in Sherwood Forest, did chase a hart out of the forest into Barnsdale into Yorkshire; and because he could not recover him, he made a proclamation at Tickhill in Yorkshire, and at several other places thereabout, that no person should kill, hurt or chase the said Hart; and this was afterwards called a Hart-Royal Proclaim’d.”
Sherwood Forest
Richard then returned back to Nottingham. Sadly, we have no more information about his time amongst the beautiful glades of Sherwood and whether he met a certain outlaw in Lincoln Green. But the legend lives on.
Fairbanks's $250,000 Castle
This is Nottingham Castle, built by 500 construction workers for Douglas Fairbanks's Robin Hood (1922). On his return to the film set, after a visit to New York, Fairbanks asked if the castle was "big enough to look realistic," but he was not prepared for the gargantuan 90-foot edifice, covering 10 acres-the biggest see ever built in Hollywood, that awaited him!
As he approached the massive film set, he shook his head in disbelief, saying that his character-Robin Hood-would be swallowed up by such a monstrosity. He immediately canceled the production.
It took a lot of persuading by the producer Allan Dwan, to convince Fairbanks that he could use the gigantic scenery to his advantage.
Nottingham Castle in 1617
Above can be seen John Smythson’s plan of Nottingham Castle in 1617. This document gives us one of the only detailed layouts of the castle before the 18th Century.Many tourists who visit Nottingham are often disappointed to find out that very little survives of this once magnificent medieval castle (including Walt Disney in 1951). It was, in its time in the same league as Windsor, Dover and the Tower of London as a military stronghold, royal palace and administration centre.
The order for Nottingham Castle’s final destruction was given during the English Civil War by the Council of State in 1651. Major Thomas Poulton was given instructions to see Nottingham Castle was demolished effectively within 14 days, so that the castle and ‘all the outworks and fortifications be altogether demolished before the 10th November.’
For the next twenty years the ruins became a common quarry for the local townspeople, until the site was acquired by the Duke of Newcastle.
The vast majority of visitors who arrive to gaze at what is left of Nottingham Castle come because of the castle’s association with one person - the noble outlaw, Robin Hood. But what is often not realized is the fact that Nottingham Castle actually has no part in the earliest medieval stories about the merry outlaw. But that did not stop the castle becoming an elegant backdrop to the later plays and continuous stream of films about his adventures.
To read more about the history of the castle, please click on the Nottingham Castle label.
Nottingham Castle 1135-1191
After Henry I’s death in 1135, Civil War raged in England between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen (1135-1154). Nottingham Castle was held for Stephen by its constable William Peveril, probably the great grandson of the original builder. Robert Earl of Gloucester, the natural son of Henry I, laid siege to the Castle in 1140, took William’s son prisoner, but failed to capture the Castle. So he vented his wrath on the town instead. Women and children were butchered in the streets or burned in the churches to which they rushed in horror.The future King Henry II, son of Matilda, laid siege to Nottingham Castle in 1153. The constable, William Peveril, in an attempt at depriving Henry’s soldiers, used the secret tunnels under the Castle and set fire to the town. But Henry made no attempt to capture the Castle, realizing according to a contemporary account:
“………………….that it could not be taken by storm, or well supplied as it was, starved into submission, the site being by nature impregnable, he abandoned the futile task.”
After his Coronation in 1154, Henry II commenced to re-build the town of Nottingham and it’s Castle. Peveril, disguised as a monk, fled first to his monastery at Lenton and then abroad when the king arrived in Nottingham in 1155. New fortifications began to be set up around the town and strong gates at major points were erected. Their names still survive today, Barker Gate, Bridlesmith Gate, Castle Gate, Lister Gate, St Mary’s Gate, St Peter’s Gate and Warser Gate. Also a massive portcullis slung between two drum towers was erected at the West of Nottingham town, known as Chapel Bar.
In the ballad Robin Hood and the Monk, a ‘gret-hedid munke’ discovers Robin Hood praying in St Mary’s Church. He runs out to inform the sheriff and on the way:
Alle the gatis of Notyngham
He made to be sparred* everychon. *barred
In 1171 the castles defences were greatly improved by the replacing of the wooden palisade enclosing the middle bailey with a high stone wall, adding a great square tower over the gateway and a new stone drawbridge over the Middle Moat. Masonry began to replace timber. The living accommodation in the Upper Bailey was improved by the construction of several new buildings, including the ‘‘King’s Chamber’ and the ‘King’s Bed Chamber’
Henry called parliament in 1172 at his ‘Royal Castle’ of Nottingham. But to improve things for future meetings of the ‘King’s Council of Barons’, he ordered, at a cost of £250, a Great Hall in the centre of the Middle Bailey. It was to be a substantial building with aisles, like a great church, large enough for the holding of Parliaments and various entertainments.
During Stephen’s reign (1135-1154) Forest Law and administration had collapsed. Henry claimed back all the land Henry I owned as Forest and afforested even more. The area of Royal Forest reached its greatest extant during this period. It was said about Henry II:
“He was addicted to the chase beyond measure; at crack of dawn he was off on horseback, traversing waste lands, penetrating forests and climbing the mountain tops, and so he passed restless days.”
Henry had a house built at the castle for ‘the King’s falcons’ and at Clipstone in Sherwood Forest, the Royal Hunting Lodge began to be re-built in stone and appears to have replaced Mansfield as the favored accommodation. It later became known as King John’s Palace and eventually spread over an area of at least two acres, with a large fish pond. It was during one of his frequent hunting trips in ‘Scirwurda’ (Sherwood) that Henry met Eustace, the holy hermit of Papplewick which eventually resulted in the founding of Newstead Abbey.
In June 1174, while Henry was in France dealing with the ‘Revolt’ of his sons, William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby raided Nottingham. William was one of the earls who had joined the rebellion, led by Henry’s eldest son, ‘Henry the Younger’. The king had denied William and his father the title ‘Earl of Derby’ since the days of their support for King Stephen. So Nottingham bore the brunt of his fury. The town was over run at the first onslaught, some of the people were cut down, others taken prisoner. Then the rebels ransacked the houses, fired them and rode away. De Ferrers was taken prisoner by the King at Northampton a month later, but let off lightly and lived on to meet a Crusaders death with Richard I at the Siege of Acre in 1190.
In France, Henry tried to satisfy his sons with a redistribution of estates. Prince John received an increased share and was granted the castles of Nottingham and Marlborough, together with the then substantial allowance of a thousand pounds.
Back in England, in August 1175, King Henry II rode into Nottingham in a fit of rage, accusing the local nobility and gentry of breaking his Forest Laws. His Chief Justicar, Richard de Lucy, spoke up showing letters the king had left, instructing the forests and fishponds to be open while he was away. But Henry’s legendary temper did not improve; when he was shown the actual letters, he ignored them.
Henry II died at Chinon on 6th July 1189. Richard I succeeded his father and crossed to England on 13th August . He granted the former Peveril estates to his brother John, but excluded Nottingham Castle from the grant. This was to enable Richard’s government to retain some control over his territories and he reserved to himself the most important castles within them.
“By this time the “keep” [at Nottingham Castle] would be a large square stone tower of at least three storeys in height—a living room or hall on the ground-floor, with solar above, and dungeons and store rooms beneath (a good example—another of William Peveril’s strongholds —may be seen in the remains of Peak Castle, at Castleton). The entrance—high above the ground— was reached by a wooden staircase or by a spiral staircase in the thickness of the stone wall, carefully guarded by a portcullis and drawbridge. The kitchens and outbuildings would still be built of wood; the whole surrounded by stone walls and a moat, over which was thrown a drawbridge defended by a barbican tower and gateway.”
(A Short History of Nottingham Castle - Harry Gill)
During the absence of Richard on Crusade, William de Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, was entrusted with administration of the country, which angered Prince John who resented this appointment as he wished it for himself.
A quarrel broke out between the two and Longchamp dispossessed John of Nottingham Castle and granted it to William Earl of Pembroke. Prince John immediately gathered a small army in April 1191 and after a short siege re-gained possession. After negotiations Roger de Lacy, the Constable of Chester, was eventually installed in the Castle. But he immediately tried to bring about the death of Roger de Crokstone, who had held the castle for Prince John. Roger de Lacy was unsuccessful however and Prince John, in revenge seized de Lacy’s estates and harried his lands. Ralph Murdoc then became constable of Nottingham Castle and Justice Itinerant.
Three times Prince John had to hand over Nottingham Castle. Twice he was induced to give it up and it was in his hands when he heard of Richard’s capture.
© Clement of the Glen 2008-2009
To read more on the history of Nottingham Castle please click on the label Nottingham Castle
Fairbanks's Nottingham Castle
Nottingham c.1610-1611
This the earliest depiction of the town of Nottingham, showing us the medieval layout that Robin Hood would have recognised. It is an engraving by the Flemish artist, Jodocus Hondius Sr. for John Speed's compilation of maps called 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britayne' (c.1611). It was in fact the first atlas of the British Isles.Nottingham Castle 1068-1100
Nottingham Castle is an important element in Walt Disney’s live-action film, ‘The Story of Robin Hood’. As Helen Phillips explains in her paper ‘Forest, Town and Road’ -for the lectures on ‘Robin Hood in Popular Culture,' -the castle, with its massive size and impregnability, gained new prominence with the advent of film, partly because of its potential for sheer visual impact and also because it offered new special theatricality through the shift to visual narrative. This is certainly the case in the Douglas Fairbanks silent version in 1922, the Michael Curtiz classic of 1938 and of course the ‘Story of Robin Hood’ in 1952.
In the planning stages for Disney’s motion picture, Ken Annakin, Carmen Dillon, Perce Pearce and other members of the production team, spent three days with the great man himself, in Sherwood Forest and Nottinghamshire. They looked over many of the sights associated with the outlaw, but Disney was disappointed, (like so many tourists) to see many of the castles of the midlands in ruins. Nottingham Castle was almost completely destroyed with gunpowder and pick, during the Civil War of 1642-1660. All that remains today for visitors to see, is an outer portion of the barbican, used as an entrance, a small portion of the walls of the outer ballium and the base of what was known as Richard’s Tower. So art director Carmen Dillon recommended the up and coming matte artist, Peter Ellenshaw to work on creating medieval Nottingham and its castle for Disney’s live-action motion picture.
So what was the real Nottingham Castle like?
During the summer of 1068, William the Conqueror (pictured above) rode north to deal with a Saxon rebellion. He stopped at Nottingham to assess its strategic value and decided to build a castle on the huge rocky red sandstone, above the meadows of the River Trent. He left William Peveril instructions for a motte and bailey type castle to be built, ‘in a style that was unknown before’, on the 130 ft high rock. The tower of which would be in an impregnable position.
Nottingham Castle is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, but this may have been due to a delay in construction because of ‘opposition from the men of Nottingham.’ When William re-visited Nottingham a year later the townsmen had been forced into subjection and were compelled to assist in building the new fortress with a handful of Norman supervisors. Peveril was rewarded for his services with a ‘fief’ known as ‘the Honour of Nottingham’ made up from lands in six shires including Sherwood Forest and the Peak.
Castles were unknown in England before the Norman Conquest in 1066. But within five years of the Battle of Hastings, thirty castles were built across the country. The motte, a high mound usually constructed from the earth dug out of the deep surrounding ditch, was constructed on the highest part of the rock. On it would be wooden buildings and perhaps, a wooden watch tower or keep. Below the motte, to the north, was the bailey similarly enclosed by a wooden palisade on an earth rampart. Curling around to the south of the palisade of wooden stakes was the River Leen, which had probably been diverted as an additional form of defence, to supply the garrison with water and power the Castle’s mills.
The building would have been probably two or three storeys high and reached by an exterior stairway or wooden ladder. The first floor would have included the Great Hall, sleeping quarters and living rooms of the Lord, including the chapel. But, because the first Nottingham Castle was constructed mainly of wood, cooking would have been done outside as a
fire precaution.
The location for a castle at Nottingham, was ideal for two reasons. First because the rock provided an easily defensible site dominating the country around, including the Saxon town huddled around St. Mary’s Church in what is now the Lace market. Second, Nottingham was on the main road between London and the North and was also only a mile from the River Trent, the dividing line between the North and South of England, so it could be easily supplied and reinforced. Because of its ideal situation, Nottingham castle became the principal royal fortress in the Midlands for five centuries.
The local population would have been forced to build their Conqueror’s castle in whatever materials were available. The rock provided a natural motte or mound and the original walls enclosing the bailey’s or yards, though probably being of wood, may have been supplemented by stone dug out of the surrounding ditch. In the highest part of the Castle, the upper bailey, were rooms and a watch tower. Beyond, to the north, was another bailey, the Middle Bailey. This was enclosed by a palisade placed on the top of a rampart formed by the sand excavated from the surrounding new moat. Subjugation of the local population was completed by the building of a new Norman Town in the shadow of the castle with its own market place-the present Market Square. Land was also taken to the west of the castle to make a park, which would be stocked with deer to provide food and sport, whilst to the south, the King’s Meadow would be used for grazing.
Because the motte was natural rock it would not be necessary to wait for the ground to settle before building high stone walls and towers on its summit. If these walls were not originally built of stone they may have been by the reign of Henry I (1100-35). These great stone walls with towers rising as it were, from the very rock itself and visible for miles in every direction, must have awed the local population. Below it to the north were the palisade walls of the Middle Bailey (now the Castle Green) and beyond them to the north and east more land was enclosed to form the Outer Bailey, though exactly when this was first enclosed we do not know.
© Clement of the Glen 2008
Robin Hood's Statue At Nottingham Castle
Four months after the Royal Premier of the film The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men in London, further up north in Nottingham, they unveiled a statue to their world famous outlaw, by the castle walls, in the presence of the Duchess of Portland.The ceremony took place on July 24th 1952 on Castle Green, in a specially landscaped area at the foot of Castle Rock, in the remains of the old moat, by local architect Cecil Howitt. The seven foot statue, including four bas-relief plaques were a gift to the city, by local businessman Philip E. Clay and was designed and cast out of half a ton of bronze, one inch thick, by Royal Acadamician, James Woodford (1893-1976) in his studio at Hampstead. Woodford was the son of a Lace designer and was born in Nottingham. He attended the Nottingham School of Art and after military service during the First World War he trained at the Royal College of Art in London.
A year after his statue of Robin Hood was unveiled at Nottingham Castle, James Woodford RA was commissioned to carve a set of ten heraldic figures out of Portland Stone, to be placed at the entrance of Westminster Abbey for the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. These heraldic beasts were selected from the armorial bearings of her royal ancestors and can be seen today along the walkway between Palm House and the pond at Kew Gardens.
© Clement of the Glen 2006-2007
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