Baconsthorpe Castle

Baconsthorpe Castle
Norfolk, England
The inner gatehouse of Baconsthorpe Castle
Baconsthorpe Castle
Coordinates	52°53′55″N 1°09′07″E / 52.8985°N 1.1520°E / 52.8985; 1.1520Coordinates: 52°53′55″N 1°09′07″E / 52.8985°N 1.1520°E / 52.8985; 1.1520
Grid reference	grid reference TG121381
Type	Fortified manor house
Site information
Owner	English Heritage
Open to the public	Yes

Baconsthorpe Castle is a fortified manor house, now a ruin, to the north of the village of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The Heydons were an ambitious family. They first made their fortunes through the Law profession and subsequently from wool. John Heydon rose to prominence and influence as a supporter and ally of the 1st Duke of Suffolk, William de la Pole. During the turbulent Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) John often switched his political allegiance to serve his own purposes. Although he managed to amass great wealth, he also made many enemies, and was described by contemporaries as crafty and quarrelsome. His position meant he needed a secure base from which to operate.

This castle was built from around 1460 to 1486 by John Heydon (died 1479) and Sir Henry Heydon (died 1504). It was built without a licence to fortify and initially consisted of a quadrilateral manor house which was later fortified. It became increasingly large and more elaborate as the family's wealth grew. The east side contained a lake, the other three were protected by a deep ditch.

A three-storied gatehouse was built in the middle of the south wall. It was an important symbol of John Heydon's Lordship. This gatehouse was also large enough to serve as a self-contained defensible residence in times of danger. The gatehouse had two lodges on the ground floor, one of which housed a porter, the other the chief servant. There was a spacious suite of chambers for Heydon family on the first floor. There is a description of these rooms in the will of John Heydon's son, Sir Henry Heydon. They are described as being luxuriously furnished with feather beds and silk curtains. The small room directly above the porch was thought to be a private chapel.

The quadrangle was completed with walls, towers and a range of buildings. A service range of buildings stood on the eastern side of the quadrangle. These buildings were converted in the Tudor period by Sir John Heyden II into a wool processing factory. The large windows in this building provided plenty of light for the spinners and weavers that worked there. Much of the cloth produced at Baconsthorpe was sold to the Netherlands. The coarse material was softened by the process of "Fulling". This involved the pounding of the cloth by foot in soapy water or stale urine. It is thought that this process was carried out in the tower that stands on the northeast corner of the quadrangle