Northborough Manor House
Manor house in Northborough, Cambridgeshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Northborough Manor House, also known as Northborough Hall or Northborough Castle Farmhouse, is a medieval fortified manor house, and Grade I listed building in the village of Northborough in Cambridgeshire, England.[1][2][3]
| Northborough Castle Farmhouse | |
|---|---|
| Cambridgeshire, England | |
The gatehouse to Northborough Castle | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Fortified manor house |
| Location | |
| Shown within Cambridgeshire | |
  Northborough Castle Farmhouse Location within Cambridgeshire | |
| Coordinates | 52.6557°N 0.2998°W |
| Grid reference | grid reference TF151078 |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Rubble masonry and dressed masonry[1] |
History
Northborough Castle was built between 1333 and 1336 by Roger Northburgh, the Bishop of Lichfield; of the original manor, only the gatehouse and the hall still survive.[4][2] The result, according to historian Anthony Emery, was "one of the finest" fortified manors in Cambridgeshire.[5] The gatehouse is dominated by a huge gateway, which, whilst it did not have a drawbridge or portcullis, provided considerable protection to the manor behind it.[6] The hall typified the 14th-century fashion for improved lighting, with bay windows placed regularly along the line of the hall, and was decorated with wall paintings.[7] Some 16th and 17th-century extensions to the castle were made.[3]
The manor was sold to James Claypole in 1565, and sold to Lord Fitzwilliam in 1681. It was reputedly visited by Oliver Cromwell.[2] In the 1970s it was purchased by garden book author Roy Genders.[8] Today, the gatehouse is available for holiday lets, and the manor is open to visitors by appointment.[9]