In the fourteenth century, Baron Lovell returned triumphant from battles overseas and built Wardour Castle, a grand fortress worthy of a powerful English Lord. Originally built as a show of strength and victory over enemies overseas, Wardour Castle was eventually ruined by enemies on home soil after being besieged in both the Wars of the Roses and the English Civil War. In the 18th century, the owners of the decaying castle decided to save the charming ruin and build a new castle, actually a neoclassical country house, just over a mile away.
Key Facts about Wardour Castle
- Both Old and New Wardour Castle are located in the settlement of Wardour, part of Tisbury Parish in the county of Wiltshire, England.
- Old Wardour Castle was built in the late fourteenth century and New Wardour Castle was completed in 1776.
- Old Wardour Castle is now a ruin managed by English Heritage, while New Wardour Castle is privately owned and was purchased in 2010 by designer Jaspar Conran.
History of the House
Following his experiences fighting in France during the Hundred Years War, Lord Lovel of Titchmarsh returned to England with the desire to build a grand fortress in the style of a fourteenth century French chateau. Lord Lovel was granted permission from King Richard II in 1392 and immediately set about designing a stronghold worthy of a powerful English lord. Master mason William Wynford was in charge of the building of Old Wardour Castle and used local Tisbury greensand as his primary material, a green sandstone rock local to the area. The six-sided, hexagonal design of the castle is unique in Britain and its several self-contained guest suites are the only ones of their kind that date back to the 14th century.
Originally, the castle’s front door was protected by a wide ditch with a drawbridge, portcullis and projecting barbican that would have been used to defend the front entrance. Above the portal, over the front entrance, the Arundell coat-of-arms can be seen, presided over by a depiction of the head of Christ. The central courtyard at Old Wardour Castle would have originally been in the shape of a hexagon with four or five stories built up on every side and there is evidence of an old well in the courtyard that is thought to have been sheltered by an elaborate roof, delicately painted with the emblems of the Lovell family.
The Lovell family did not stay in the favor of the crown for long as Francis Lovell, the 9th Baron Lovell, supported the losing side in the War of the Roses. The 9th Baron’s open support of doomed Richard III meant Old Wardour Castle was confiscated from him in 1461. After passing through the hands of a few different owners, Old Wardour Castle was purchased and again confiscated, this time from the Arundell family, an ancient Cornish clan with a prominent position in English society. Sir Thomas Arundell, a Roman Catholic, was executed for treason in 1552 during the turbulent reign of Edward VI.
The Arundell family bought Old Wardour Castle back in 1570 but things didn’t get much better for the persecuted family when the English Civil War broke out. As Catholic landowners, the Arundell’s supported the crown. In 1643 Thomas Arundell, 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour, left to fight for the King, leaving his wife, Lady Blanche Arundell, and just 25 fighting men to defend the castle. Sir Edward Hungerford stormed the castle with 1,300 Parliamentarian men and laid siege for five days straight. Lady Arundell surrendered only after it became clear that the castle was threatened with complete destruction and Colonel Edmund Ludlow took control.
Lord Arundell died of his wounds at the Battle of Landsdowne but the Royalists would not accept such a defeat and lay siege to the castle for ten months. Led by Lord Arundell’s son, Henry 3rd Lord Arundell, Old Wardour Castle was heavily bombed and its outer walls were destroyed. On March 18th 1644, the castle was surrendered.
The Arundells were able to return to the ruined castle in the 1680s but it wasn’t until the 8th Baron took control of Old Wardour Castle that the family was able to borrow sufficient funds to begin to rebuild it. Rather than trying to salvage what remained the besieged castle and build a country house from the rubble up the 8th Baron decided to start from scratch on a patch of land approximately 1.5 miles away, retaining the ruined castle as a romantic focal point within the new castle grounds.
In the year 1769, building began on the New Wardour Castle designed by architect James Paine, known for his distinctive Palladian style. It took over seven years to build the castle, which is not really a castle at all, but a neoclassical country house. Characteristic of 18th century design, New Wardour Castle features a square main block flanked by symmetrical pavilions and is constructed from limestone ashlar. The most noteworthy feature of New Wardour Castle is its rotunda staircase, which measures 144 feet across. The ground floor in this part of the house is made from impressive black and white marble, while the floors of the next level of the house are made from wood and feature typically neoclassical Roman columns rising to a vaulted dome ceiling decorated with reliefs of musical instruments.
The Roman Catholic chapel at New Wardour Castle still holds Sunday services for the local community. Known as All Saints Chapel, the chapel is Grade I listed and is also used for musical events. The gardens at New Wardour Castle were drawn up by George Ingham in 1773 and further modified by Capability Brown between 1775 and 1783. Today, the gardens feature a walled garden with a swimming pool, a temple garden and a Camellia House.
The 16th and last Lord Arundell of Wardour died in 1944, leaving New Wardour Castle up for rent. A public school took over the lease and modified the building to accommodate classrooms, dormitories and a dining room. After more than fifty years in residence, the school closed and New Wardour Castle was sold for less than £1 million to property developer Nigel Tuersley, who converted it into ten luxury apartments. In the year 2010, designer Jaspar Conran bought the English Heritage Grade 1 listed New Wardour House and is thought to live there for part of the year.
What Makes Wardour Castle Famous?
Old Wardour Castle was the first hexagonally-shaped castle in England, inspired by the great chateaus of fourteenth century France and is famous for being confiscated by Henry VIII and stormed and captured by Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War. In contemporary times, both Old Wardour and New Wardour Castle have been used as locations in hit films. Old Wardour Castle is featured heavily in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and New Wardour Castle is featured in Billy Elliot.
Wardour Castle in TV and Film
Old Wardour Castle
- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- Chronos(1985 Documentary)
- The Stately Ghosts of England(1965 TV Movie)
New Wardour Castle
- Billy Elliot (2000)
- Four Seasons(2008 Mini-Series)
Further Research
- Mark Giroud (2012) Old Wardour Castle
- Barry Williamson (2011) The Arundells of Wardour
Visitors’ Information
Old Wardour Castle is maintained by English Heritage and is open to the public daily during the summer months. Entry is free to English Heritage members but a small fee applies to non–members. For full opening times and price list, see the English Heritage website, http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/old-wardour-castle/prices-and-opening-times. New Wardour Castle is not open to the public but the grounds are open to public footpaths.
The nearest train station to both Old and New Wardour Castle is Tisbury, 3 ½ miles away. A local bus service No 26 will take you from the train station to the castle. If traveling by car, Old and New Wardour Castles are located off the A30 road, 3 ½ miles South West of Tisbury.
