Thornbury Castle - History

While King Henry VIII would not take ownership of Thornbury Castle until some years after it was built, his influence loomed large from the moment Edward Stafford first conceived of a magnificent new castle on the edge of The Cotswolds. Edward Stafford, the then Duke of Buckingham, was the second wealthiest man in the country and wanted a home to rival that of the richest… a certain King Henry VIII. In 1510, he was granted permission to transform his former manor house into the magnificent fortified country home that still stands today. It stands as a grand monument to Stafford’s personality: battle-ready Medieval ruggedness in harmony with the most palatial Tudor fineries of the day.

Edward Stafford, however, was never able to fully revel in the fruits of the years-long construction; in its exquisite oriel windows, its stunning red brick chimneys, its beautiful gardens. As the final elements were being put in place, in 1521, the Duke was summoned to London to stand trial. As a descendant of King Edward III, he was perceived as a threat to the Tudor dynasty. After making several provocative actions and statements against the crown, King Henry VIII acted in the way he is perhaps best remembered… Stafford was beheaded on Tower Hill after being found guilty of treason. From that moment on, Stafford’s impressive portfolio of properties was Henry’s, and though he would sell most of it, he retained one particular property that he recognised as truly fit for a king – Thornbury Castle. On royal progress in 1535, he stayed there with his second queen, Anne Boleyn. A plague in Bristol extended their stay, establishing the castle as a luxurious retreat from the travails of the outside world that still rings true today. Alas, the castle offered no such respite for Anne from the path that Henry set himself down. Ten months after their stay at the castle, she was beheaded.

The castle remained a crown property until 1554, when Queen Mary I returned it to the Stafford family. Mary, who had stayed at Thornbury Castle numerous times as a child, did so as a show of gratitude for the support that the castle’s original custodians had shown her mother, Catherine of Aragorn. From that point on the fortunes of the castle would wax and wane, in line with the fortunes of the aristocracy responsible for it. But those ineffable qualities that made it such a striking symbol of Tudor opulence transcended its moment of ruins; its rebirth. Its standing today is as the finest castle of its kind in the country.

Timeline

1019

Britic, the Saxon Lord of Thornbury Manor, is serving as ambassador to the court of Baldwin, Count of Flanders. During Britic’s ambassadorship, Baldwin’s daughter, Matilda, proposes marriage to him. Britic declines and she instead marries William, Duke of Normandy.

1066

The Duke of Normandy invades England and is, thereafter, known as William the Conqueror. William claims ownership of all of England’s land and gives Thornbury Manor to his wife Matilda. Thus, the woman Britic once scorned has now taken ownership of his manor.

1314

Gilbert de Clare, Lord of the Manor of Thornbury, is killed at the battle of Bannockburn, won by Robert the Bruce of Scotland. Gilbert has no heirs and over 70 years of de Clare ownership comes to an end.

1347

Ralph Stafford becomes Lord of the Manor following the death of his father-in-law, Hugh, Lord Audley. The Staffords own the manor, some minor interruptions notwithstanding, for approximately 300 years.

1460

Humphrey Stafford, first Duke of Buckingham, is killed at the battle of Northampton, during the Wars of the Roses.

1483

Henry Stafford, second Duke of Buckingham, is beheaded in the market square of Salisbury for plotting against Richard III. Some of that plotting took place in the manor house itself, at Thornbury.

1498

Edward Stafford, third Duke of Buckingham, takes control of all the Stafford estates. For the first time, it becomes the main residence for a Lord of the Manor of Thornbury.

1510

The Third Duke of Buckingham receives a licence from Henry VIII to build a fortified castle at Thornbury.

1521

The Third Duke of Buckingham is beheaded by Henry VIII and ownership passes to the king.

1525

Nine-year-old Princess Mary visits the castle and stays for 18 days. She visits again in the two subsequent years.

1535

Henry VIII stays at Thornbury Castle with his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn. Due to an outbreak of plague in Bristol, they stay 10 days.

1547

Edward VI inherits the castle following the death of his father. He spends considerable sums of money on repairs to the castle but is not known to have visited it.

1554

Queen Mary I returns the Manor of Thornbury, and its castle, to the third Duke’s son, Henry Stafford, and his wife, Ursula Pole. The Staffords and the Poles had opposed the divorce of Mary’s mother, Catherine of Aragon, from Henry VIII and were supporters of the Roman Catholic church. The Staffords do not live at the castle and it gradually sinks into ruin.

1640

The last of the Staffords, Mary, marries William Howard and the ownership of the castle and manor rests with the Howards. The Howards own the castle for just over 300 years.

1800

Lord Henry Thomas Howard starts using the castle as a residence. In 1801 he gives Thornbury Castle as his address when he gets married. Under his ownership, renovations to the tower are carried out.

1850

Circa. Lord Howard’s son, Henry Howard, has a full restoration of the castle carried out by the renowned Victorian architect, Anthony Salvin. Henry lives there for part of the year, although his main residence remains Greystoke Castle in Cumbria.

1875

Edward Stafford Howard inherits the castle and establishes it as his main residence.

1960

Sir Algar Howard, son of Edward Stafford Howard, sells the castle and ends the 300-plus years of Howard ownership.

1966

Renowned chef Kenneth Bell buys the castle for £26,000. He establishes a high-class restaurant. Later, he opens up a select number of bedrooms in the castle and it becomes primarily a restaurant/hotel for the first time.

2019

After passing through the ownership of several hoteliers, the castle is sold to a new owner. Plans quickly formulate to upgrade the castle and develop its status as a unique luxury holiday destination, one that maintains the richness of its Tudor heritage.