DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32038#0061
THORNBURY CASTLE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE.
29
restored in blood immediately after his father’s execution, but not to his honours
and possessions, for only a small provision was granted him out of the vast
estates involved in the forfeiture. Ten years later the king granted Stafford
Castle and some other of the forfeited estates to him. He was again restored
in blood, on the accession of Edward VI., and, after sitting in several parliaments
during that and the following reigns, as Lord Stafford, deceased in 1565.
Thornbury Castle and manor afterwards came into the possession of the
Dukes of Norfolk, and since then of Henry Howard, Esq. Leland, who saw
Thornbury Castle about twenty years after the duke’s death, has left us this
description of it. “ There was of aunciente tyme a Maner Place, but of no great
Estimacion, hard by the Northe syde of the Paroche Churche. Eclwarcl, late
Duke of Bakkyngeliam, likynge the Soyle aboute, and the Site of the Howse,
pullyd downe a greate Parte of the olde Howse, and sette up magnificently in
good squared Stone the Southe Syde of it, and accomplishyd the West Parte also
withe a right comely Gate-Howse to the first Soyle; and so it stondithe yet
with a Rofe forced for a tyme.
“ The Foundation of a very spacious Base Courte was there begon, and
certeyne Gates and Towres in it Castelle lyke. It is of a iiii. or v. Yards highe,
and so remaynithe a Token of a noble Peace of Worke purposed.
“ There was a Galery of Tymbre in the Bake Syde of the House joyning to
the Northe Syde of the Paroche Churche.
“ Edward Duke of Bukkyngham made a fayre Parke hard by the Castle, and
tooke much faire Grownd in it very frutefull of Corne, now fayr Launds, for
Coursynge. The Inhabytaunts cursyd the Duke for thes Lands so inclosyd.
“ There cummithe an Armelet of Severne ebbynge and flowyng into this
Parke. Duke Edward had thowght to have trenched there, and to have browght
it up to the Castle.”*
A very particular description of Thornbury Castle, as returned by a jury in
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, is extant, and was printed from a manuscript in
the possession of Thomas Astle, Esq., at the end of Vol. II. of “ Leland’s Collec-
vindicated his character from the heaviest part of the charge. The Duke was an imprudent and
credulous person, and it is evident that he had entertained hopes of an eventual succession to the
crown, although he had not committed any act of treason. The form of the proceedings on the
Duke’s trial was printed in the Gentleman’s Magazine for March 1834, p. 266, from a paper in the
Lansdowne MSS. The names of the peers, who saton the trial, are there given more correctly than
in the Chronicles of Hall and Holingshed.
* Leland’s Itinerary, vol. vii. folio 75. a
VOL. II.
F
29
restored in blood immediately after his father’s execution, but not to his honours
and possessions, for only a small provision was granted him out of the vast
estates involved in the forfeiture. Ten years later the king granted Stafford
Castle and some other of the forfeited estates to him. He was again restored
in blood, on the accession of Edward VI., and, after sitting in several parliaments
during that and the following reigns, as Lord Stafford, deceased in 1565.
Thornbury Castle and manor afterwards came into the possession of the
Dukes of Norfolk, and since then of Henry Howard, Esq. Leland, who saw
Thornbury Castle about twenty years after the duke’s death, has left us this
description of it. “ There was of aunciente tyme a Maner Place, but of no great
Estimacion, hard by the Northe syde of the Paroche Churche. Eclwarcl, late
Duke of Bakkyngeliam, likynge the Soyle aboute, and the Site of the Howse,
pullyd downe a greate Parte of the olde Howse, and sette up magnificently in
good squared Stone the Southe Syde of it, and accomplishyd the West Parte also
withe a right comely Gate-Howse to the first Soyle; and so it stondithe yet
with a Rofe forced for a tyme.
“ The Foundation of a very spacious Base Courte was there begon, and
certeyne Gates and Towres in it Castelle lyke. It is of a iiii. or v. Yards highe,
and so remaynithe a Token of a noble Peace of Worke purposed.
“ There was a Galery of Tymbre in the Bake Syde of the House joyning to
the Northe Syde of the Paroche Churche.
“ Edward Duke of Bukkyngham made a fayre Parke hard by the Castle, and
tooke much faire Grownd in it very frutefull of Corne, now fayr Launds, for
Coursynge. The Inhabytaunts cursyd the Duke for thes Lands so inclosyd.
“ There cummithe an Armelet of Severne ebbynge and flowyng into this
Parke. Duke Edward had thowght to have trenched there, and to have browght
it up to the Castle.”*
A very particular description of Thornbury Castle, as returned by a jury in
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, is extant, and was printed from a manuscript in
the possession of Thomas Astle, Esq., at the end of Vol. II. of “ Leland’s Collec-
vindicated his character from the heaviest part of the charge. The Duke was an imprudent and
credulous person, and it is evident that he had entertained hopes of an eventual succession to the
crown, although he had not committed any act of treason. The form of the proceedings on the
Duke’s trial was printed in the Gentleman’s Magazine for March 1834, p. 266, from a paper in the
Lansdowne MSS. The names of the peers, who saton the trial, are there given more correctly than
in the Chronicles of Hall and Holingshed.
* Leland’s Itinerary, vol. vii. folio 75. a
VOL. II.
F