KIRTLING TOWERS

Cambridgeshire

Kirtling Towers, Cambridgeshire

The first reference to Kirtling as a Castle comes in 1260 when three men were carrying a cask of wine across the bridge over the moat when it collapsed.  The Castle was by then well-established and almost certainly built in stone.  It was seized by Henry de Hastings in 1308 and soon recovered by the Earl of Gloucester who had recently inherited it.

Lord North bought the Castle in 1533 and was visited here by Queen Elizabeth I in 1578 by which time he had completely rebuilt the Castle as an Elizabethan mansion; the attractive Gatehouse which is the chief ancient part of the Castle (pictured above) is part of his mansion.  It stands within the largest moat in Cambridgeshire.

The rest of Lord North's house was destroyed in 1801, but the Gatehouse is still occupied.

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© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions, Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
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2001

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