DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32038#0062
30
THORNBURY CASTLE, GLOUCESTERSIIIRE.
tanea.”* From this survey it appears that the Duke’s buildings were abandoned
to ruin immediately after his attainder, and at the time of the survey the whole
castle was hastening to ruin. Since that period all the older parts of the castle,
comprising a great number of rooms mentioned in the survey, have been totally
demolished; and much injury has been done to the windows and other orna-
mental parts of the building, within the last century.
In order to give a complete idea of these remains, it seems best to begin the
description by a reference to the ground plan delineated in Plate VIII., in which
the names of some of the apartments require correction. The Base Court, or
western quadrangle, is thus described in the survey already referred to. “ At
the first Entry towards the said Castle is a fair Bace Court, containing by
estimation Two Acres and an Half, compassed about with Building of Stone for
Servants’ Lodging to the Height of 14 or 15 Foot, left unfinished without Timber
or Covering, set forth with Windows of Freestone, some having Barrs of Iron in
them and some none.” A bird’s-eye view of Thornbury Castle, published by
Samuel and Nathaniel Buck in 1732, shews this court in a more perfect state
than it is at present. It was to have had large arched gates on the north and
south sides, with a postern door to each, and various turrets projected from the
front walls of the buildings. Of the inner court the following particulars are
furnished by the survey, which describes it as “ a Court Quadrant, paved with
Stone, containing, by Estimation, half an acre.” On the left hand of the gate-
way was the porter’s lodge, containing three rooms, with a dungeon underneath
the same for a place of imprisonment. Adjoining to these was a fair room called
“ The Duke’s Wardropp;” within the same was a fair room, or “ Lodging
Chamber,” with a cellar or vaultunderneath it. This seems to have been in the
octagonal tower I, which never was built up to half its proper height. Over these
rooms were four chambers with chimneys in them. On the right hand of the
gates were two fair rooms called the “ Duchess’ Wardropp;” and over the same
* There is a gross errorin thedate ofthis survey, which is said to havebeen madeon the 6th, 7th,
8th, and 9th days of March, in the 5th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in the year 1582. But
as the Queen’s reign commenced November 17th, a.d. 1558, if this survey vvas made in her 5th year,
it must have been in 1562, aecording to the old style; and if the year 1582 be rightly stated
according to tlie old style, the survey vvas made in the 25th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
This error has been implicitly copied in Gough’s additions to Camden, “ Britton’s Architectural Anti-
quities,” vol. iv. 156, &c. Mr. Gough states, that “ Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn vvere magnificently
entertained here ten days,” 1539 (Camden, i. 400), for vvliich he refers to Rudder, p. 753. This
statement is repeated in “ Rudge’s History of Gloucestershire,” vol. ii. 8vo. 1803, 343. The unfor-
tunate Anne Boleyn vvas beheaded 19th May, 1536!
THORNBURY CASTLE, GLOUCESTERSIIIRE.
tanea.”* From this survey it appears that the Duke’s buildings were abandoned
to ruin immediately after his attainder, and at the time of the survey the whole
castle was hastening to ruin. Since that period all the older parts of the castle,
comprising a great number of rooms mentioned in the survey, have been totally
demolished; and much injury has been done to the windows and other orna-
mental parts of the building, within the last century.
In order to give a complete idea of these remains, it seems best to begin the
description by a reference to the ground plan delineated in Plate VIII., in which
the names of some of the apartments require correction. The Base Court, or
western quadrangle, is thus described in the survey already referred to. “ At
the first Entry towards the said Castle is a fair Bace Court, containing by
estimation Two Acres and an Half, compassed about with Building of Stone for
Servants’ Lodging to the Height of 14 or 15 Foot, left unfinished without Timber
or Covering, set forth with Windows of Freestone, some having Barrs of Iron in
them and some none.” A bird’s-eye view of Thornbury Castle, published by
Samuel and Nathaniel Buck in 1732, shews this court in a more perfect state
than it is at present. It was to have had large arched gates on the north and
south sides, with a postern door to each, and various turrets projected from the
front walls of the buildings. Of the inner court the following particulars are
furnished by the survey, which describes it as “ a Court Quadrant, paved with
Stone, containing, by Estimation, half an acre.” On the left hand of the gate-
way was the porter’s lodge, containing three rooms, with a dungeon underneath
the same for a place of imprisonment. Adjoining to these was a fair room called
“ The Duke’s Wardropp;” within the same was a fair room, or “ Lodging
Chamber,” with a cellar or vaultunderneath it. This seems to have been in the
octagonal tower I, which never was built up to half its proper height. Over these
rooms were four chambers with chimneys in them. On the right hand of the
gates were two fair rooms called the “ Duchess’ Wardropp;” and over the same
* There is a gross errorin thedate ofthis survey, which is said to havebeen madeon the 6th, 7th,
8th, and 9th days of March, in the 5th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in the year 1582. But
as the Queen’s reign commenced November 17th, a.d. 1558, if this survey vvas made in her 5th year,
it must have been in 1562, aecording to the old style; and if the year 1582 be rightly stated
according to tlie old style, the survey vvas made in the 25th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
This error has been implicitly copied in Gough’s additions to Camden, “ Britton’s Architectural Anti-
quities,” vol. iv. 156, &c. Mr. Gough states, that “ Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn vvere magnificently
entertained here ten days,” 1539 (Camden, i. 400), for vvliich he refers to Rudder, p. 753. This
statement is repeated in “ Rudge’s History of Gloucestershire,” vol. ii. 8vo. 1803, 343. The unfor-
tunate Anne Boleyn vvas beheaded 19th May, 1536!