Pete posted: " The manor of Framlingham is mentioned in the Doomsday Book (1086) as the property of Roger Bigod, Sheriff of Norfolk. His son was made 1st Earl of Norfolk and he built the first castle on the site. In 1213 King John was entertained at the castle, althoug" Pete's Favourite Things
The manor of Framlingham is mentioned in the Doomsday Book (1086) as the property of Roger Bigod, Sheriff of Norfolk. His son was made 1st Earl of Norfolk and he built the first castle on the site. In 1213 King John was entertained at the castle, although 2 years later Roger was one of the Barons who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta. In response, King John arrived at Framlingham with an army in 1216 and laid siege. The castle surrendered after two days. Some years later it was granted back to the Bigod family.
In the 14th century, it was the home of Margret Brotherton, daughter of the Earl of Norfolk and on her death passed first to the Mowbray family and then to the Howard family. Under the Howards, the castle was extended and refurbished. Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, was connected to two wives of Henry VIII - Anne Bolyn and Catherine Howard were both his nieces and were both executed. King Henry seemed to blame Thomas for this and Framlingham passed back to the Royal family. After Henry and his son Edward had died, the protestant nobility looked to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne as opposed to the Catholic Princess Mary, the rightful heir. Mary gathered her forces at Framlingham before marching on London and it was whilst she was there, she learnt that the plot had failed and she had been proclaimed Queen. One of her first acts was to release Thomas Howard from the Tower of London and to return Framlingham to the Howard Family.
In 1635 the castle was sold to a lawyer Sir Robert Hitcham. He died a year later and in his will, he left the castle to Pembroke College in Cambridge with instructions that a house for the poor of the area be constructed on the site. The Red House was the first building and this was extended in 1729.
Red House
18th century extension
It remained a workhouse for just over a hundred years before being used as the parish hall. In 1913 Pembroke College placed it in the care of the state and today it is managed by English Heritage.
An interesting castle with a good museum, which has galleries covering both the history of the castle and the surrounding area.
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