Walworth Castle

Walworth Castle.
South−east corner of Walworth Castle
Location within Durham
General information
Type	Manor house
Architectural style	Tudor style architecture
Location	Walworth County Durham, England
Coordinates	54°33′54″N 1°38′20″W / 54.565°N 1.639°W / 54.565; -1.639
Elevation	300 feet (91 m)
Construction started	c. 1579
Completed	c. 1600
Renovated	1740; 1864; 1991; 2000; 2016
Client	Thomas Jennison
Landlord	Rachel Swain and Christopher Swain
Technical details
Structural system	Limestone rubble and Welsh slate
Design and construction
Architect	Thomas Holt

Walworth Castle is a 16th-century mansion house, built in the style of a medieval castle and situated at Walworth, near Darlington, County Durham, England. It is a Grade 1 listed building. It was completed around 1600, probably by Thomas Holt for Thomas Jenison. It stands on the site of a former manor house or castle built in the 12th century by the Hansard family. The estate passed through the hands of the Ayscoughs and Aylmers besides the Hansards and Jenisons, and became a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II and then a girls' boarding school after the war. It has been a hotel since 1981.

The present manor house stands on the site of a previous manor house or castle which was built around 1150 by the Hansard family. There is no evidence that the building was ever used for defence. The title to the castle fell into the hands of the House of Neville after the 1349 Black Death, but was reclaimed by Robert Hansard in 1391. The castle then passed to Sir Richard Hansard in 1395, his son Richard in 1454, his grandson Richard in 1466, Sir William Hansard in 1508, Sir William's short−lived son William in 1520, and his daughter Elizabeth Hansard (William's sister) in 1521. In 1539 she married Sir Francis Ayscough, so the castle passed to the Ayscough family. In 1563 the castle passed to her son William Ayscough, but because there were no further heirs the castle was sold.

In about 1579 Thomas Jennison, Auditor General of Ireland (d.1579), purchased from the Ascough family the manor of High Walworth. The manor included a manor house or medieval castle on this site; he demolished most of it apart from the medieval south−west tower and built the present castle, whose fabric is still identifiable as 16th century in date. It is thought that Jennison's architect was probably Thomas Holt. In 1586 Jenison died, and his widow Elizabeth née Birch inherited the castle. It was during her ownership that King James VI of Scotland is believed to have rested here on 14 May 1603 while travelling to his coronation as king of England. It is said that the king knighted her son−in−law George Freville in return for bountiful entertainment at the castle. In 1605 Elizebeth Jenison died and her son William Jenison inherited the castle. It became dilapidated because he did not live there, because he was in debt and because in 1610 and 1612 he was imprisoned for being Roman Catholic. The Jennisons were a strongly Catholic family. In 1679 Francis Jennison sold the estate and emigrated to Europe, possibly because in 1678 Thomas Jenison was accused of involvement in the Popish Plot to assassinate Charles II, arrested by Titus Oates and thrown into Newgate Prison. In 1681 the castle was divided from the rest of the estate and awarded by Chancery to Robert Jenison. In 1687 the castle was reunited with its estate when Ralph Jenison bought the whole estate for £6,205. The castle was searched for arms in 1689 in response to suspicions of a potential rebellion against the Protestants William and Mary. Ralph Jenison inherited the castle at the age of 10 years in 1704. He later renovated the castle at great expense, and died in debt, so that the castle was again sold.