Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire....

Simon de Senlis, Norman Earl of Northampton and Huntingdon built Fotheringhay castle in around 1100 of Norman motte and bailey construction.  On his death his widow Maud married David King of Scotland and the castle passed down the Scottish royal line.  Interestingly the castle in 1294 was transferred to Marie de Valence who founded Pembroke College, Cambridge.  In the 15th century the castle became the administrative centre of the powerful Dukes of York.  Subsequently it became a royal palace and eventually the birthplace of Richard III and the prison and place of execution of Mary Queen of Scots, and Queen Katherine of Aragon owned it at one stage but by that time she had to get the painters and decorators in. In 1625 the castle was described as being "meetly strong" but 10 years later it was deserted and falling into ruins.

An artist's impression of what the castle may have looked like when it was first built...



 

... and what it looks like now ...

 

 

"And so to Fotheringhay.  To cross the eighteenth century bridge, see the fifteenth century lantern, sparkling above buttress, tracery, fan-faulting and battlement, and to find a grassy castle mound by the river winding peacefully is more than enough to transport any sentimental soul out of the hard present into a little realm soft in the glow and shades of old romance, beauty, tragedy". The East of England by Sydney R Jones.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great views from the castle motte...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thistles that grow on the site in the summer are said to have been planted by Mary Queen of Scots while she was imprisoned here ...

 

 

 

 

 

The present bridge was built in 1722 and replaces the one built on the orders of Elizabeth I in 1573. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The church of St Mary and All Saints was built in the 15th century...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below the porch is a vaulted chamber and excavations in 1992 produced fragments of 15th century painted glass, marbles and coins......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stone lion, once part of Fotheringhay castle and thught to have been part of the remodelling of the castle carried out by Queen Katherine of Aragon appeared in 19th century prints over the door of a pub in Oundle and was presented to the church in 1976............

 

 

 

 

A horse a horse my kingdom for a horse.....