castle castle called castle medieval castle somerset england castle built phases inner court constructed sir fortune working steward john castle built design slightly old fashioned site existing manor house overlooking park attached castle requiring destruction local village son sir successful knight rich years war france extended castle additional outer court parish church process walter death substantial castle richly appointed chapel decorated murals castle largely remained hands family centuries despite periods war roses held crown following execution members family outbreak english civil war castle modernized latest tudor stuart held sir edward declared support parliament leader wiltshire seized royalist forces recaptured parliament fight near end conflict result escaped following war unlike castles south west england member family hold castle sir inherited gambling expensive living forced sell property 18th century castle longer lived owners fell disrepair bought family broken salvage antiquarian tourist interest ruined castle increased 18th 19th centuries castle chapel repaired museum complete murals rediscovered walls number rare lead anthropomorphic century castle sold controversial restoration programme began owned english_heritage operate tourist attraction castle grade listed building scheduled ancient monument history 11th 14th centuries england manor somerset granted evolved anglo saxon meaning pasture later evolved gave manor renamed manor passed family early years reign sir bought property family manor known new owner sir knight rich chief steward powerful john recorded speaker house_of_commons thomas decided principal home built castle site unfortunately acquire appropriate licence king commencing building thomas acquire royal pardon thomas new castle adapted existing manor complex overlooking head castle sat low spur overlooked higher ground west north placed purely defensive perspective contemporary castle designs included construction huge tower keeps apartments powerful nobles expanded thomas patron john construction smaller french influenced castles seen nearby castle built thomas fellow landowners contrast drew tradition castles begun france early 13th century traditional buildings manor enclosed sided outer wall protected corner towers style established late 14th century slightly old fashioned castle formed court later called inner court enclosed curtain wall circular tower corner gatehouse north east tower larger provide additional defences time towers acquired names north west tower called tower north east south west lady tower ground fell away sharply sides castle south west sides protected wet moat dam fed nearby spring pipe gatehouse twin towers opposite entrance running middle court great hall castle grand porch steps leading floor prestigious guests entertained carved wall panels murals design hall emulated hall powerful symbol thomas authority status west inner court included castle kitchen service facilities east lord great chamber range accommodation guests great hall smaller courtyard garden thomas appears built new castle stages curtain wall built corner towers added park established castle park highly prestigious enabled thomas engage hunting provided castle supply generating income village destroyed way park site eventually deserted village new parish church chapel built thomas outside castle demolished earlier simpler 12th century church construction inner court thomas died buried newly built forming north chapel 15th century sir inherited castle death mother joan walter political patron john son later close companion henry son walter like father speaker walter prospered known expert fought battle years war steward major figure government serving treasurer england legal guardians young despite having pay ransom french son captured walter created amassed considerable wealth sources income included right marks year town wool taxes wells gained taking french prisoners result able buy land acquiring new estates course life walter expanded castle considerably outer court built south original castle towers additional gatehouse formed new entrance castle new defences strong original inner court eastern gatehouse time built extending older gatehouse inner court new court enclosed parish church castle chapel replacement church built walter village walter chapel decorated number murals depicting scenes story dragon favoured saint associated prestigious order walter proud member house built chapel use priest walter legally combined parishes somerset wiltshire formed castle park altering county boundaries somerset wiltshire process village disappeared completely walter left castle son records castle time considerable including valuable feet long silk rich silver unfortunately robert eldest son later lord captured french battle fought end years war huge ransom required ensure release financially crippled family lord return england time england entered period civil conflict lancaster known wars roses supporter fought leading exile seized crown captured executed eldest son thomas met fate gave castle brother richard duke gloucester edward richard brother taken residence castle daughter margaret certainly born richard king gave castle duke norfolk late robert youngest son sir walter close supporter nonetheless joined failed revolt richard ended detained tower london invaded england walter escaped custody joined invading army fighting alongside henry battle victorious newly crowned returned walter 16th century sir died leaving son sir edward edward successful member henry_viii court died leaving castle second wife edward death emerged responsible murder husband servants castle burning body castle oven destroy evidence appears motivated desire wealth follow second marriage sir edward servants hung murder london execution edward son walter inherited castle instead walter political client powerful chief minister henry_viii operated behalf local region walter dissatisfied wife elizabeth father political liability walter detained castle towers years elizabeth complained imprisoned attempt kill subjected poisoning attempts probably kept north west tower south west named fell power walter executed treason homosexuality elizabeth allowed castle reverted crown walter son called walter bought castle crown surrounding park remained good condition unusually time visiting antiquarian able praise pretty condition walter continued update property including adding fashionable style windows improving east range inner court main living area family walter second wife jane roman catholic turbulent religious politics later tudor period marriage collapsed jane going exile walter jane son died young walter death castle passed brother sir edward 17th century sir died leaving great nephew sir edward continued develop castle installing new windows medieval buildings inner court civil war broke england supporters parliament member parliament edward active supporter parliament volunteered leader forces neighbouring county wiltshire unfortunately odds sir wiltshire gentleman similar ambitions resulting feud men turned violent parliament finally settled issue appointing commander wiltshire start military record conflict abandoned towns advancing royalist armies fought losing battle successfully seize castle captured royalist unit following successful campaign king forces south west castle taken fight colonel half brother edward installed garrison supported surrounding countryside parliamentary raids undertaken failed castle royalist cause close military collapse parliamentary forces began remaining royalist garrisons south west september reached castle colonel immediately surrendered good terms sir peacefully undamaged castle result process castle escaped deliberately destroyed parliament unlike castles region edward death half brother inherited castle north chapel extensively renovated period edward widow covered walls pictures saints clouds crowns elaborate tomb edward cost terms renovation effectively blocked access north chapel making new tomb focus attention visitor religious activity number lead anthropomorphic faces death masks laid mid- century men women children castle way probably including edward margaret final sir wife son daughter law lead extremely expensive period reserved wealthiest society originally lead wood outer lost anthony passed castle considerable fortune son sir marriage edward enjoyed income year making wealthy man edward lived lavish lifestyle including giving huge gift money exiled charles_ii shortly restoration throne later entertaining royal court edward later fell king proposal succeed throne charles death discovery castle searched royal officials looking stocks weapons possible revolt edward living truly extravagant lifestyle including extensive gambling resulting running debts forced sell estates wiltshire years edward incurred debts finally forced sell remaining lands south west including sir purchased lived castle years death 18th 20th centuries 18th century onwards slipped decline castle sold lived passed turn family purchased estates surrounding castle family broke castle stone walls internal contents salvage parts marble floors reused new house built nearby elements reused local villagers end castle castle chapel repaired brought use north west north east towers collapsed end outer court farm yard priest house farm house castle park reassigned serve instead antiquarian curiosity castle begun early visited recorded architectural details interest increased 19th century partially work local reverend undertook archaeological excavations site 1840s foundations inner court 17th 18th century stained glass windows continent installed chapel 15th century wall paintings rediscovered owner colonel turned chapel museum small fee visitors sets armour said pair boots english civil war artefacts including letters written foundations jackson discovered excavations left exposed benefit visitors larger numbers tourists began come castle ruins including lead chapel popular tourists extensively damaged visitors keen contents inside south west tower completely covered thick ivy collapsed local children accidentally set fire vegetation holding tower added east gatehouse period transforming appearance original roof sold family lord heir turn sold lord passed castle time heavily ivy began process controversial restoration work removing ivy repairing stone work result time giving castle effect new concrete building excavations took place project retained castle tourist attraction inhabitants farmhouse left parts outer court sold government restored attempts preserve wall paintings chapel treatments involved use red wax stained paintings caused considerable damage wax removed 1970s excavations followed chapel priest house english_heritage took responsibility running castle 21st century today ruined inner court exposed foundations remain castle buildings shells south west south east towers unusually english castles outer court survived better inner restored eastern gatehouse carved badge initials sir carved priest house remains intact measuring feet feet rooms ground floor rooms chapel outlines medieval murals painting dragon particularly good condition historian describes work surviving works england remarkable late 17th century tombs remain intact north chapel dedicated surviving lead anthropomorphic significant numerous late 16th 17th centuries lead survive today historian considers best collection country castle site run english_heritage tourist attraction scheduled monument grade listed building
Farleigh Hungerford Castle