Beeston Castle, UK, in April 2016. Photograph by Mike Peel – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Sensational Facts about Beeston Castle


 

Beeston Castle is one of the most dramatic ruins in the English landscape. It was built by Ranulf, 6th Earl of Chester, in the 1220s, the castle in 1237 and it remained in royal ownership until the 16th century.

 In the Civil War, it withstood a long siege in 1644 -5, before being surrendered by the Royalists and partially demolished.

The striking ruins of this 13th-century castle stand on a 500-foot-high cliff of red sandstone, providing excellent views of the surrounding countryside. The site was first used as a fortress in the Bronze Age, and traces remain of that early hill fort.

1. The castle was begun by Ranulf who was heavily influenced by the defenses he encountered in Syria

Beeston Castle. Photo by Nilfanion – Wikimedia Commons

The castle was begun in 1226 by Ranulf, Earl of Chester (1170-1232), in a quite peculiar (for England) Saracen style. Ranulf was heavily influenced by the defenses he encountered in Syria during his time on Crusade. In particular, the castle bears a heavy resemblance to the fortress at Sahyoun.

Ranulf died in 1232, long before the construction of Beeston was complete. His son John inherited Beeston, but John, too, died soon after, and the castle passed to the crown.

Henry III used Beeston as a garrison and prison during his wars in Wales. Around 1303 Edward I strengthened the defenses, but after that, they gradually fell into disuse.

2. The defenses of Beeston were intentionally demolished by Parliamentary order.

Beeston Castle. Photo by Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK – Wikimedia Commons

The castle is surrounded by two sets of perimeter defensive walls, and the inner wall is pierced by a very imposing gateway. In the Civil War Beeston was a royalist stronghold, and it held out against a 12-month Parliamentary siege until starvation forced the garrison to concede defeat. In 1646 the defenses of Beeston were intentionally demolished by a Parliamentary order.

3. The vast treasure was hidden at Beeston Castle  by Richard II

Beeston Castle inner gatehouse (28616047966). Seen from the southwest. Photo by Richard Nevell from London, United Kingdom – Wikimedia Commons

Persistent legend tells that a vast treasure was hidden at Beeston by Richard II. The story goes that Richard chose Beeston to hide his personal fortune of “100,000 marks in gold coin and 100,000 marks in other precious objects” before he went on a trip to Ireland in 1399.

On his return, he was captured and eventually killed by Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster (later Henry IV). Richard never had a chance to recover his treasure, and no one knew where it had been hidden.

One story tells that the gold was hidden in passages running off the 370-foot deep castle well in the inner bailey. Attempts to probe the well using sophisticated electronic measuring devices revealed at least 3 passages, but no treasure, though investigators conjectured that a fourth passage remains to be investigated.

4. Beeston is fascinating for what it shows about castle building

Beeston Castle. Photo by Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK- Wikimedia Commons

Beeston is fascinating for what it shows about castle building; there is no keep here, for military architecture had moved on from the Norman model. Instead, the entire site is encircled by a strong curtain wall punctuated by smaller towers, following the natural contours of the hillside.

Even though only the wall on the eastern side remains intact, there are still seven towers along with it, so the original wall must have been enormously impressive.

At the highest point of the hill is the inner ward, protected by another thick stone wall and round flanking towers guarding a gatehouse. The curtain wall is badly damaged, as are the 3 D-shaped towers which face the ditch.

On the opposite side of the inner bailey, the walls are not nearly so impressive, but then, they didn’t need to be, for here the hill falls away abruptly in a sheer cliff.

5. The entrance gates to Beeston look authentic

Beeston Castle. Photo by Nilfanion – Wikimedia Commons

The entrance gates to Beeston look authentic, but they are Victoria additions, set at the base of the hill. From there, visitors have to walk up a fairly steep incline, though extremely impressive stone walls encircle the site.

A trail leads up an open hillside to the castle itself, which is protected by a dry ditch cut into the solid rock.

6. Most of the castle remains inside the courtyard are ruinous

Beeston Castle Lodge2. This is a photo of the listed building number. Photo by Stephen Craven – Wikimedia Commons

Thankfully, a modern footbridge crosses the ditch and leads through a large gateway into the castle courtyard. Most of the castle remains inside the courtyard are ruinous, though the well-cut straight down into the rock is impressive.

7. The views of the Beeston castle are amazing

Beeston Castle – Inner Gatehouse. This is a photo of the listed building number. Photo Ihaveseenthings – Wikimedia Commons

The views are amazing, looking out over the Cheshire Plain and into Wales. Easily visible on the neighboring hill is what looks like another castle, like a twin to Beeston, but it is a Victorian Gothic fantasy, Peckforton Castle, now a hotel.

Unlike many other castles of the period, Beeston does not have a keep as its last line of defense. Instead, the natural features of the land, together with massive walls, strong gatehouses, and carefully positioned towers, made the baileys themselves the stronghold. The defenses consisted of two parts.

8. The Beeston castle is built in an amazing way

BEESTON CASTLE “THE CASTLE OF THE ROCK*. This castle is noted for its spectacular views. Photo by HARTLEPOOLMARINA2014 – Wikimedia Commons

Firstly, a rectangular castle on the summit of the hill, with a sheer drop on three sides and a defensive ditch up to 30 feet (9 m) deep in places cut into the rock on the fourth side. Secondly, an outer bailey was built on the lower slopes, with a massive gatehouse protected by a 16-foot (5 m) wide and 10-foot (3 m) deep ditch.

The outer bailey was roughly rectangular, with 6-foot (2 m) thick walls faced in sandstone and infilled with rubble. The walls, parts of which still remain, contain a number of D-shaped towers, an innovation in English castles at that time.

9. To provide the castle’s inhabitants with a supply of freshwater

Beeston Castle 1816. Engraving. Photo by C. Heath – Wikimedia Commons

The towers allowed defenders to shoot across the walls as well as forwards, and their open-backed design meant that they would not offer cover to any attackers who gained access to the outer bailey. The inner bailey was on the rocky summit at the western end of the crag.

To provide the castle’s inhabitants with a supply of freshwater, two wells were dug into the rock; one of them, 370 feet (113 m) deep, is one of the deepest castle wells in England.

10. The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument owned and managed by English Heritage.

Road to Beeston Castle. Beeston Castle, Cheshire. Photo by Lukasz Lukomski – Wikimedia Commons

The walls of the outer bailey and the gatehouse and curtain walls of the inner bailey are recorded separately in the National Heritage List for England as designated Grade I listed buildings.

 The study of local names, traditions, and stories might help in building up a picture of Beeston’s place in local folklore – in particular the myth of Richard II’s treasure, and the 16th-century prophecy that the castle would one day save England.

 

 

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