Fortified Britain
Educate. Inspire. Preserve.
Tamworth Castle
- Tamworth, Staffordshire
- OSGB – SK 2062 0392
- Scheduled Monument.
- Grade I Listed Building.
Medieval motte castle with the motte measuring 111ft in diameter with its base measuring240ft in diameter.
Saxon Holy Well on the site.
910-921 Site fortified.
1066 c: Held by Robert le Despenser.
1100 Henry I held his Court at the castle.
1114-1115 Robert Marmion, who had married a relative of Robert le Despenser, inherited the castle.
1139 Legend has it that the 3rd Baron Marmion was visited by the ghost of St. Editha in the room now called the ‘haunted room’.
1158 Henry II visited the castle with Thomas Becket.
1180’s Curtain wall built.
12th C Stone keep and tower built.
1215 Sir Robert Marmion, 5th Baron, sided against King John. The king sent an army to destroy the castle.
1257 Henry III visited the castle.
1291 Philip Marmion, 8th Baron, died and the castle went to Lay Jane Marmion.
1291 After: The castle was granted by Edward I to Sir Alexander de Fravile, relative of Lady Jane Marmion, when she died.
13th C Arched doorway in keep dates from.
1325 Edward II visited the castle.
1423 Passed to Thomas Ferrers of Groby when the last of the de Freville line died out.
15th C Early: Banqueting Hall built.
1541 Itinerary of John Leland: Derelict.
1619 James I stayed at the castle with Prince Charles, later Charles I.
1621 James I stayed at the castle.
1624 James I stayed at the castle.
1642 Civil War: Held by a Royalist garrison.
1643 Oliver Cromwell seized the castle and installed Cpt. Waldyve Willington as Castallian following a two day siege. Orders were given for the demolition of the castle.
1645 July: Garrison included 10 officers and 77 soldiers commanded by Governor Waldyve Willington.
1649 July: Some demolition took place.
1650 The roof was repaired.
1688 Inherited by the Shirley family of Chartley, when the female line of the Ferrers family married into them.
17th C House built within the walls. South wing added and an oak staircase.
1715 Passed through marriage to the Compton family, Earls of Northampton.
1751 Passed through marriage from the Campton family to the Townsend family of Raynham.
1783 c: Extensive alterations carried out. The Banqueting Hall was whitewashed, covering up a mural of St. Lancelot de Luc and Sir Tarquin.
1783-1811 Windows in the south wing removed by George, 2nd Marquis of Townsend.
18th C Neglected.
1807-1811 Chimney added.
1828 Sir Walter Scott stayed at the castle.
1897 The last of the Townsend family owned the castle.
1897 The Marquis of Townsend sold the castle to Tamworth Corporation for £3,000.
1899 22nd May: Opened to the public.
19th C Additions included windows. The 2nd Marquis of Townsend rebuilt the second floor.
1953 Field Investigation.
1972-1974 Excavated
1976 Field Investigation.
1977 Bailey excavated
1986 The door to the State Dining Room had its castings restored and some of the beams in the ceiling of the Banqueting Hall were replaced.
1987 New floor laid in the Banqueting Hall.
1988 The Princess Royal, Princess Anne visited the castle.
1989 Excavated
1990 The battlement wall walk was opened to the public.
1992 The stone window mullions and transoms were reinstated.
1994 Excavated Unit.
1995 Watching Brief
1995 Watching Brief
1997 Watching Brief
1998 Watching Brief
1999 Watching brief
2001 Watching Brief
2003 Architectural Survey