Ashby de la Zouch Castle: A Historic English Fortress and Residence

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk

Country: United Kingdom

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Ashby de la Zouch Castle, located in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England, was originally established on the site of a manor recorded as Ascebi in 1086. This estate passed through several noble families over the centuries, including the Belmeis and La Zouche lineages, before it was taken into royal possession in 1461 following the execution of James Butler, Earl of Ormond.

In 1462, William Hastings, a close confidant of King Edward IV, acquired the manor and began transforming it into a fortified castle after 1473. The crown granted Hastings permission in 1474 to fortify not only this manor but also three others, and to enclose approximately 3,000 acres as a park. By 1483, progress included the construction of two substantial towers and various auxiliary buildings, although Hastings’s execution later that year ended his direct involvement in the project.

Ownership remained with the Hastings family, who maintained the castle as a prominent residence and site of importance over the following centuries. The castle hosted several notable royal figures, including Henry VIII in 1503; Queen Anne, Princess Elizabeth, and Prince Henry in 1603; James I between 1612 and 1617; and Charles I in 1634. The fortress also played a role in political imprisonment when Mary, Queen of Scots, was held there in 1569.

During the English Civil War in the 1640s, Ashby de la Zouch Castle served as a Royalist stronghold under Henry Hastings, a younger son of the family and military commander. The castle endured a siege and ultimately surrendered to Parliamentary forces in 1646. Concerned about further military use by Royalists, Parliament ordered the castle to be deliberately damaged, known as slighting, in 1648. This action involved the use of gunpowder and undermining techniques that severely damaged the two main towers.

Following the conflict, parts of the ruined castle were adapted into a residence called Ashby Place, which the Hastings family occupied until their relocation to Donington Hall. The castle’s fame increased in the 19th century after appearing in Walter Scott’s novel Ivanhoe (published in 1819), which inspired conservation efforts and broader public interest.

Archaeological investigations commenced around 1900, leading to further restoration work in the early 20th century. By 1932, the responsibility for the castle passed to the Ministry of Works, which undertook measures to stabilize the ruins and open the surrounding gardens. Today, Ashby de la Zouch Castle is managed by English Heritage as a protected historic monument with Grade I listed status.

Remains

The ruins of Ashby de la Zouch Castle are situated close to the contemporary town center and feature two principal towers along with several adjoining buildings forming a courtyard. Initially, the design by Lord Hastings intended four large towers encircling inner structures with a curtain wall, but construction halted after two towers were completed.

The Great Tower, constructed of grey sandstone, rises about 75 feet (23 meters) and comprises a four-storey main block measuring approximately 30 by 25 feet internally, linked to a smaller turret with seven storeys measuring 10 by 9 feet. This tower’s ground floor contained the basement and a guarded entrance secured by a portcullis—a heavy grilled gate that could be lowered in defense. A kitchen with a fire-resistant stone-vaulted ceiling was situated on the first floor. Above, well-appointed chambers included a parlour, a grand room for the lord, and a withdrawing chamber, all fitted with large windows that offered views over the adjacent gardens and parkland. A specially designed treasure chamber, accessible only by ladder, was located on the first floor, reflecting the secure storage needs of the time. The tower stands out for its elaborate upper rooms and sophisticated design.

Positioned at the north-west corner is the Kitchen Tower, a yellow sandstone building featuring two storeys. Its ground floor kitchen contains a vaulted ceiling soaring 34 feet (10 meters) high, and walls approximately 9 feet (2.7 meters) thick for durability and insulation. The kitchen was outfitted with multiple hearths, an oven, a water well, and a cellar below. Above the kitchen lay a large chamber, probably used as a parlour during winter months. Damage to one wall occurred during the slighting in 1648. An underground passage, likely constructed during the Civil War, connects this kitchen tower to the Great Tower, enabling discreet and protected movement between the two.

Adjacent to the Kitchen Tower and separated by a covered passageway designed for fire safety, there is a two-storey service range that housed key household functions such as a buttery (where beverages were stored and served) and a pantry.

The Great Hall, originally part of the medieval manor, was adapted within the castle complex. It was laid out with arches that divided the space and was heated by a central hearth. At one end of the hall, a raised dais provided a platform for the lord and honored guests during meals and gatherings. In the late 17th century, the hall underwent significant changes—it was heightened, received a new roof, and fitted with contemporary windows to adapt to evolving architectural tastes.

Another two-storey structure, known as the Great Chamber, consists of a parlour on the lower level and an upper chamber used for entertaining visitors. To the north of this building, a series of rooms were reserved for senior household staff, emphasizing the organizational complexity of the castle’s domestic functions.

A large chapel measuring 60 by 21 feet (about 18.3 by 6.4 meters) once stood beside the Great Chamber. Built in the same durable grey sandstone, the chapel featured an altar placed on a raised dais at its northern end. Today, a corner of this chapel remains in use as a burial site for members of the Hastings family. Historically, the chapel connected to the Great Tower via an inner courtyard enclosed by now-lost buildings, forming a private religious precinct within the castle grounds.

South of the castle buildings lie formal gardens dating from around 1530, covering roughly 0.8 hectares (two acres). These gardens include two sunken sections separated by a walkway. The eastern sunken area is thought to have mimicked military bastions found in fortress design and once housed a circular brick tower. The gardens were originally enclosed by a brick wall, although only the south-east portion of this wall still remains intact. Two brick towers at the southern corners—one shaped like a clover leaf and the other octagonal—likely served as dedicated banqueting houses, places where guests could dine and enjoy leisure in privacy.

Beyond the gardens extends a planted space known as “the wilderness,” designed as compartmentalized gardens featuring water elements such as ponds. Within this wilderness area stands a triangular building called “the Mount,” constructed in the early 1600s. This structure today serves as a private dwelling.

Around the castle, the original deer park began as a 60-acre (24 hectares) enclosed area near the fortress. William Hastings expanded this park significantly, eventually creating the Little Park, which covered about 340 acres (140 hectares). The locations of two other planned parks associated with the estate, called Great Park and Prestop Park, remain uncertain.