Editing Framlingham Castle (section)

==History==
===11th–12th centuries===
The population of [[Framlingham]] in [[Suffolk]] rose sharply after the [[Norman Conquest]] of England in 1066, as the village turned into a small town of at least 600 inhabitants, surrounded by valuable lands in one of the most prosperous parts of the country.<ref>Alexander, pp.12–13; Dyer, p.63.</ref> The region was owned by the powerful [[Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester|Hugh d'Avranches]], the [[Earl of Chester]], who granted it in turn to [[Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk|Roger Bigod]], the [[High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk|Sheriff of Suffolk]]. A [[ringwork]] or [[motte and bailey]] castle was first built in either the 11th or early 12th century in the northern half of the Inner Court of the current castle.<ref>Alexander, p.17, citing Coad, pp155-8.</ref>

Although the first documentary reference to a castle at Framlingham occurs in 1148, the actual date of its construction is uncertain and three possible options have been suggested by academics. The first possibility is that the castle was built by Roger Bigod in either the late 11th century or around 1100, similar to the founding of Bigod's [[Caput baroniae|caput]] at nearby [[Eye Castle|Eye]].<ref>Stacey, p.23; Ridgard, p.2; Alexander, p.17.</ref> A second possibility is that Roger's son, [[Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk|Hugh Bigod]], built it during the years of [[the Anarchy]] in the 1140s on the site of an existing [[manor house]]; the castle would then be similar to the Bigod fortification at [[Bungay Castle|Bungay]].<ref>Alexander, pp.17–8.</ref> A third possibility is that there were in fact two castles: the first being built in the late 11th century and then demolished by Hugh Bigod in the 1160s in order to make way for a newer, larger castle.<ref>Alexander, p.18; Coad, p.160.</ref> Historian Magnus Alexander hypothesizes the castle might have been built on top of a set of pre-existing [[Anglo-Saxon]], high prestige buildings, a practice common elsewhere in East Anglia, possibly echoing the arrangement at [[Castle Acre]]; this would be most likely if the castle was built in the 11th century.<ref>Alexander, p.18.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Nicola Stacey and John Rigard prefer the late 11th century date for the founding of the castle; Magnus Alexander prefers the 1140s; J. Coad has proposed the two-castle option. The 11th century date carries the disadvantage of having no documentary evidence, and being slightly unusual for East Anglia, where the regional lords built relatively fewer castles during this period. The 1140s option closes the time gap with the first documentary reference in 1148 and fits well with Hugh Bigod becoming an Earl in 1140, but raises the question of what the Bigods had done with the site during the first forty years of their ownership. The two-castle model also lacks firm supporting evidence.<ref>Stacey, p.23; Ridgard, p.2; Coad, p.160; Alexander, p.17.</ref>|group="nb"}}

[[File:Framlingham Wall Walk.jpg|thumb|left|The Inner Court, showing the open backed mural towers]]
By the late 12th century the Bigod family had come to dominate Suffolk, holding the title of the [[Earl of Norfolk]] and owning Framlingham and three other major castles at Bungay, [[Walton Castle, Suffolk|Walton]] and [[Thetford Castle|Thetford]].<ref>Pounds, p.55; Brown (1962), p.191.</ref> The first set of stone buildings, including the first hall, were built within the castle during the 1160s.<ref>Raby and Reynolds, p.21.</ref> Tensions persisted throughout the period, however, between the Crown and the Bigods. Hugh Bigod was one of a group of dissenting barons during the Anarchy in the reign of King [[Stephen I of England|Stephen]], and after coming to power [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] attempted to re-establish royal influence across the region.<ref>Pounds, p.55.</ref> As part of this effort, Henry confiscated the four Bigod castles from Hugh in 1157, but returned both Framlingham and Bungay in 1165, on payment of a large fine of £666.<ref>Brown (1962), p.191; Carpenter, p.224; Stacey, p.24.</ref>{{#tag:ref|It is impossible to accurately compare 12th century and modern prices or incomes. For comparison, £666 is approximately the annual income of the wealthiest baron in England around 1200.<ref name=autogenerated3>Pounds, p.147.</ref>|group="nb"}}

Hugh then joined [[Revolt of 1173–1174|the revolt by Henry's sons]] in 1173. The attempt to overthrow Henry was unsuccessful, and in punishment the King ordered several Bigod castles, including Framlingham, to be destroyed ([[Slighting|slighted]]).<ref>Alexander, p.17.</ref> The King's engineer, Alnoth, destroyed the fortifications and filled in the moat at Framlingham between 1174 and 1176 at a total cost of £16 11s 12d, although he probably shored up, rather than destroyed, the internal stone buildings.<ref>Alexander, p.17; Ridgard, p.3. Ridgard notes "The view is widely held that, because Alnodus [Alnoth] the engineer was accompanied by carpenters and masons, stone buildings ... were shored up and repaired, not destroyed."</ref>{{#tag:ref|It is impossible to accurately compare 12th century and modern prices or incomes. For comparison, £16 represents the approximate cost of maintaining an average sized castle for a year during the period.<ref>Pounds, p.123.</ref>|group="nb"}} It was one of at least twenty castles belonging to the rebels to be slighted in the aftermath of the war.<ref>Brown (1959), p.252.</ref>

Hugh's son, [[Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk|Roger Bigod]], was out of favour with Henry, who initially denied him the family earldom and estates such as Framlingham.<ref name=BrownAlexander2002>Brown (2002), cited Alexander, p.20.</ref> Roger finally regained royal favour when [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] succeeded to the throne in 1189.<ref name=BrownAlexander2002/> Roger then set about building a new castle on the Framlingham site – the work was conducted relatively quickly and the castle was certainly complete by 1213.<ref>Alexander, p.20.</ref> The new castle comprised the Inner Court, defended with 13 mural towers; an adjacent Lower Court with smaller stone walls and towers, and a larger Bailey with timber defences.<ref>Stacey, p.17; Raby and Reynolds, p.6.</ref> By this time, a [[castle-guard]] system was in place at Framlingham, in which lands were granted to local lords in return for their providing knights or soldiers to guard the castle.<ref>King, pp.16–7.</ref>

===13th century===
[[Image:Framlingham Castle reflected in The Mere,at dawn. - geograph.org.uk - 1293414.jpg|thumb|The [[Mere (lake)|mere]], one of two lakes thought to have been created in the late medieval period]]
The [[First Barons' War]] began in 1215 between King [[John of England|John]] and a faction of rebel barons opposed to his rule. Roger Bigod became one of the key opponents to John, having argued over John's requirements for military levies.<ref>Liddiard (2005), p.94; Stacey, p.25.</ref> Royal troops plundered the surrounding lands and John's army arrived on 12 March 1216, followed by John the next day.<ref>Liddiard (2005), p.94.</ref> With John's permission, messages were sent on the 14th from the castle to Roger, who, influenced by the fate of [[Rochester Castle]] the previous year, agreed that the garrison of 26 knights, 20 sergeants, 7 crossbowmen and a priest could surrender without a fight.<ref>Liddiard (2005), pp.83, 94.</ref> John's forces moved on into Essex, and Roger appears to have later regained his castle, and his grandson, another [[Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk|Roger]], inherited Framlingham in 1225.<ref>Liddiard (2005), p.94; Stacey, p.26.</ref>{{#tag:ref|The date on which Roger Bigod recovered Framlingham is unclear from the historical sources.|group="nb"}}

A large [[Medieval deer park|park]], called the Great Park, was created around the castle; this park is first noted in 1270, although it may have been constructed somewhat earlier.<ref>Taylor, p.40; Alexander, p.26.</ref> The Great Park enclosed {{convert|243|ha|acre|abbr=off}} stretching {{convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the north of the castle, and was characterised by possessing bank-and-ditch boundaries, common elsewhere in England but very unusual in Suffolk.<ref>Hoppitt, pp.152, 161; Taylor, p.40.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Bank and ditch boundaries are designed to permit game animals to enter the park by jumping over the bank, but prevent them from leaving by means of an interior ditch.|group="nb"}} The park had a lodge built in it, which later had a recreational garden built around it.<ref name=autogenerated4>Taylor, p.40.</ref> Like other parks of the period, the Great Park was not just used for hunting but was exploited for its wider resources: there are records of [[Charcoal|charcoal-burning]] being conducted in the park in 1385, for example.<ref>Liddiard (2005), p.104.</ref> Four other smaller parks were also located near the castle, extending the potential for hunting across a long east–west belt of emparked land.<ref>Alexander, p.31.</ref>

In 1270 [[Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk|Roger Bigod]], the 5th Earl, inherited the castle and undertook extensive renovations there whilst living in considerable luxury and style.<ref>Stacey, pp.26–7.</ref> Although still extremely wealthy, the Bigods were now having to borrow increasing sums from first the [[Economy of England in the Middle Ages#Jewish contribution to the English economy|Jewish community]] at Bungay and then, after the expulsion of the Jews, Italian merchants; by the end of the century, Roger was heavily in debt to [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] as well.<ref name=RidgardP4>Ridgard, p.4.</ref> As a result, Roger led the baronial opposition to Edward's request for additional taxes and support for his [[Gascon War|French wars]].<ref name=RidgardP4/> Edward responded by seizing Roger's lands and only releasing them on the condition that Roger granted them to the Crown after his death.<ref name=RidgardP4/> Roger agreed and Framlingham Castle passed to the Crown on his death in 1306.<ref name=RidgardP4/>

By the end of the 13th century a large prison had been built in the castle; this was probably constructed in the north-west corner of the Lower Court, overlooked by the Prison Tower.<ref name=StaceyP11>Stacey, p.11.</ref> The prisoners kept there in the medieval period included local [[Poaching|poacher]]s and, in the 15th century, religious dissidents, including [[Lollard]] supporters.<ref name=StaceyP11/>

===14th century===
[[Image:Framlingham walls closeup.jpg|thumb|The 12th-century walls of the Inner Court]]
[[Edward II of England|Edward II]] gave the castle to his half-brother, [[Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk|Thomas of Brotherton]], the Earl of Norfolk.<ref name=RidgardP4/> Records show that Framlingham was only partially furnished around this time, although it is unclear if this was because it was in limited use, or because fittings and furnishings were moved from castle to castle with the owner as he traveled, or if the castle was simply being refurnished.<ref>Alexander, pp.20–1; Ridgard, p.4.</ref> The castle complex continued to thrive, however, on Thomas' death in 1338, the castle passed first to his widow, Mary de Brewes, and then in 1362, into the Ufford family.<ref name=RidgardP4/> [[William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk]] held the castle during the [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381, with much of the revolt occurring close to Framlingham.<ref name=RidgardP5>Ridgard, p.5.</ref> From the Uffords, the castle passed first to [[Margaret, Duchess of Norfolk|Margaret of Brotherton]], the self-styled "Countess-Marshall", and then to [[Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk|Thomas de Mowbray]], the [[Duke of Norfolk]].<ref>Ridgard, p.5; Stacey, p.28.</ref> The Mowbrays seem to have used Framlingham Castle as their main seat of power for most of the 15th century.<ref name=RidgardP5/>

With as many as 83 people living in the castle at any one time, the castle played a major role in the surrounding economy during the period.<ref>Smedley, p.53, cited Alexander, p.21.</ref> Large amounts of food and drink were purchased to support the household – over twelve months in 1385–6, for example, over £1,000 was spent, including the purchase of {{convert|28,567|impgal|L}} of [[ale]] and 70,321 loaves of [[bread]].<ref name=autogenerated2>Alexander, p.21.</ref>{{#tag:ref|It is impossible to accurately compare 14th century and modern prices or incomes. For comparison, £1,000 represents the typical average annual income for an early 15th-century baron.<ref>Pounds, p.148.</ref>|group="nb"}} By the 14th century the castle was purchasing goods from across western Europe, with [[wine]] being imported from France, [[venison]] from parks as far away as [[Northamptonshire]] and [[spice]]s from the [[Far East]] through [[London]]-based merchants.<ref name=AlexanderP22>Alexander, p.22.</ref> The castle purchased some goods, such as [[salt]], through the annual [[Stourbridge Fair]] at nearby [[Cambridge]], then one of the biggest economic events in Europe.<ref name=AlexanderP22/> Some of this expenditure was supported by the [[demesne]] manor attached to the castle, which comprised {{convert|168|ha|acre|abbr=off}} of land and 5,000 days of [[serf]] labour under feudal law.<ref>Ridgard, p.19.</ref> A [[vineyard]] was created at the castle in the late 12th century, and a [[bakery]] and a [[horse mill]] were built in the castle by the 14th century.<ref>Ridgard, pp.13, 21.</ref> Surrounding manors also fed in resources to the castle; in twelve months between 1275 and 1276, £434 was received by the castle from the wider region.<ref name=AlexanderP22/>{{#tag:ref|It is impossible to accurately compare 13th century and modern prices or incomes. For comparison, £434 represents around two-thirds the average income for a major baron of the period.<ref name=autogenerated3 />|group="nb"}}

Two large lakes, called [[Mere (lake)|meres]], were formed alongside the castle by damming a local stream.<ref name=autogenerated4 /> The southern mere, still visible today, had its origins in a smaller, natural lake; once dammed, it covered {{convert|9.4|ha|acre|abbr=off}} and had an island with a [[dovecote]] built on it.<ref>Taylor, p.40; Liddiard (2005), p.114; Stacey, p.16.</ref>{{#tag:ref|By placing the dovecote on an island, the surrounding mere would have protected the doves from vermin.<ref>Alexander, p.30.</ref>|group="nb"}} The meres were used for fishing as well as for boating, and would have had extensive aesthetic appeal.<ref>Liddiard (2005), p.106.</ref> It is uncertain exactly when the meres were first built.<ref name=AlexanderP29>Alexander, p.29.</ref> One theory suggests that the meres were built in the early 13th century, although there is no documentary record of them at least until the 1380s.<ref>Alexander, pp.29–30.</ref> Another theory is that they were formed in the first half of the 14th century, at around the same time as the Lower Court was constructed.<ref name=AlexanderP29/> A third possibility is that it was the Howard family who introduced the meres in the late 15th century as part of their modernisation of the castle.<ref name=JohnsonP45>Johnson, p.45.</ref>

===15th–16th centuries===
[[Image:Ornate chimney - geograph.org.uk - 947403.jpg|thumb|175px|[[Tudor period|Tudor]] brickwork in the Inner Court, including a carved brick chimney]]
In 1476 the castle passed to [[John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk|John Howard]], the Duke of Norfolk, who probably began the sequence of improvements to the castle during the [[Tudor period]].<ref name=RidgardP6/> Under the Howards the castle was extensively modernised; fashionable [[brick]] was used to improve parts of the castle; ornamental chimneys were added; the battlements were reduced in size to exaggerate the apparent height of the walls, and the Howard coat of arms was added to the gatehouse.<ref name=JohnsonP45/> The Great Chamber was probably built across the Inner Court at this time, linking the Great Hall with the [[castle chapel|chapel]] and chambers on the east side of the castle, and by 1524 there were at least 29 different rooms in the castle.<ref>Alexander, p.21; Stacey, p.21; Ridgard, p.130.</ref> [[Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk]] commissioned a hanging or tapestry depicting Hercules for the Great Chamber.<ref>Nicholas Harris Nicolas, ''Testamenta Vetusta'', vol. 2 (London, 1826), p. 603.</ref>

The drawbridge outside the gatehouse was replaced with the current permanent bridge between 1524 and 1547; by this time a half-moon defensive structure had been built in stone to defend it.<ref>Alexander, p.21; Raby and Reynolds, p.18.</ref> A pleasure garden had been built in the Lower Court by the 16th century, with several ornamental ponds and terraced walkways – the garden would probably have also had fruit trees, herb gardens and fountains.<ref>Taylor, p.40l; Stacey, p.17.</ref> Another pleasure garden was built in the Bailey, and a second bridge built across the moat to allow access to it directly from the Inner Court.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> The Prison Tower was redesigned to become a viewing gallery for the new formal gardens below.<ref name=StaceyP11/>

The [[Wars of the Roses]] during the 15th century saw prolonged fighting between the [[House of York|Yorkists]] and [[House of Lancaster|Lancastrians]] for the control of the English throne. John Howard, a Yorkist supporter, was killed at [[Battle of Bosworth Field|Bosworth Field]] in 1485 and in the aftermath his son [[Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk|Thomas]], the 2nd Duke, was [[Attainder|attainted]], forfeiting his and his heirs' rights to his properties and titles, and placed in the [[Tower of London]].<ref name=RidgardP6>Ridgard, p.6.</ref> The Lancastrian victor at Bosworth, [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]], granted Framlingham Castle to [[John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford|John de Vere]], but Thomas finally regained the favour of [[Henry VIII]] after fighting at the [[battle of Flodden|victory of Flodden]] in 1513.<ref name=RidgardP6/> Framlingham was returned to Thomas and the Duke spent his retirement there; he decorated his table at the castle with gold and silver [[Silver (household)|plate]] that he had seized from the Scots at Flodden.<ref name=RidgardP6/> The castle was expensively decorated in a lavish style during this period, including [[tapestry|tapestries]], velvet and silver chapel fittings and luxury [[bedding|bedlinen]].<ref>Stacey, pp.7–8, 19.</ref> A hundred suits of armour were stored in the castle and over thirty horses kept in the stables.<ref>Stacey, p.21.</ref>

The 3rd Duke of Norfolk, also called [[Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk|Thomas]], made far less use of the castle, using first [[Stoke-by-Nayland]] and then [[Kenninghall]] as his principal residence.<ref name=RidgardP6/> Thomas was attainted in 1547 out of fears, misplaced but promoted by his rivals led by [[Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset|Edward Seymour, earl of Hertford]], that the Howards aspired to the throne; Henry VIII died the day before Thomas was due to be executed at the Tower, and his successor, [[Mary I of England|Mary]]'s half-brother [[Edward VI]] kept him in the Tower, giving Framlingham to Mary.<ref>Ridgard, pp.6–7; Stacey, p.33.</ref> When Mary contested for the throne against [[Lady Jane Grey]] in 1553, she collected her forces at Framlingham Castle before successfully marching on London.<ref name=RidgardP7>Ridgard, p.7.</ref> Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife [[Catherine of Aragon]], was proclaimed the Queen of England here on 19 July 1553. Thomas was released from the Tower by Mary as a reward for his loyalty, but retired to Kenninghall rather than Framlingham.<ref>Raby and Reynolds, p.13; Stacey, p.34.</ref> The castle was leased out but when the 4th Duke, another [[Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk|Thomas]], was executed for treason by [[Elizabeth I]] in 1572 the castle passed back to the Crown.<ref>Raby and Reynolds, pp.13–4.</ref>

Repairs to the castle appear to have been minimal from the 1540s onwards, and after Mary left Framlingham the castle went into a fast decline.<ref>Ridgard, pp.6–7.</ref> A survey in 1589 noted that the stonework, timber and brickwork all needed urgent maintenance, at a potential cost of £100.<ref name=RidgardP7/> The Great Park was disparked and turned into fields in 1580.<ref>Hoppitt, pp.161–2; Alexander, p.44.</ref> As religious laws against Catholics increased, the castle became used as a prison from 1580 onwards; by 1600 the castle prison contained 40 prisoners, [[Roman Catholic]] priests and [[recusants]].<ref>Alexander, p.44; Ridgard, p.7; Stacey, p.36.</ref>

===17th–21st centuries===
[[Image:Framlingham Castle -Suffolk-8.jpg|thumb|The [[poorhouse]], with the Red House wing (l), the 18th century middle wing and the remains of the old Great Hall (r)]]
In 1613 [[James I of England|James I]] returned the castle to [[Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk|Thomas Howard]], the Earl of Suffolk, but the castle was now derelict and he chose to live at [[Audley End House]] instead.<ref>Alexander, p.45; Raby and Reynolds, p.14.</ref> Thomas's son, [[Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk|Theophilus Howard]], fell heavily into debt and sold the castle, the estate and the former Great Park to Sir [[Robert Hitcham]] in 1635 for £14,000; as with several other established parks, such as Eye, Kelsale and Hundon, the Great Park was broken up and turned into separate estates.<ref>Hoppitt, pp.161–2; Alexander, p.44; Stacey, pp.36–7.</ref>{{#tag:ref|It is difficult to accurately compare 17th century and modern prices or incomes. £14,000 could equate to between £1,790,000 to £22,700,000, depending on the measure used. For comparison, [[Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester|Henry Somerset]], one of the richest men in England at the time, had an annual income of around £20,000.<ref>Financial comparison based on the RPI index, using ''[http://www.measuringworth.com/index.php Measuring Worth Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a UK Pound Amount, 1830 to Present]'', MeasuringWorth, accessed 24 June 2011; Pugin, p.23.</ref>|group="nb"}} Hitcham died the following year, leaving the castle and the manor to [[Pembroke College, Cambridge|Pembroke College]] in [[Cambridge]], with the proviso that the college destroy the internal castle buildings and construct a [[workhouse]] on the site instead, operating under the terms of the recently passed [[Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601|Poor Law]].<ref>Raby and Reynolds, p.14; Stacey, p.37.</ref>

After the collapse of the power of the Howards, the county of Suffolk was controlled by an oligarchy of Protestant [[gentry]] by the 17th century and did not play a prominent part in the [[English Civil War]] that occurred between 1642 and 1646.<ref>Hughes, p.144.</ref> Framlingham Castle escaped the [[slighting]] that occurred to many other English castles around this time.<ref>Jenkins, p.713.</ref> Hitcham's bequest had meanwhile become entangled in the law courts and work did not begin on the workhouse until the late 1650s, by which time the internal buildings of castle were being broken up for the value of their stone; the chapel had been destroyed in this way by 1657.<ref>Alexander, pp.45; Stacey, p.38.</ref>

The workhouse at Framlingham, the Red House, was finally built in the Inner Court and the poor would work there so they were eligible for relief;<ref>Cole & Morrison 2016, p.2–4.</ref> it proved unsatisfactory and, following the mismanagement of the workhouse funds, the Red House was closed and used as a [[public house]] instead.<ref name=StaceyP38>Stacey, p.38.</ref> The maintenance of the meres ceased around this time and much of the area returned to [[meadow]].<ref>Alexander, p.44.</ref> In 1699 another attempt was made to open a poorhouse on the site, resulting in the destruction of the Great Chamber around 1700.<ref>Raby and Reynolds, p.14.</ref> This poorhouse failed too, and in 1729 a third attempt was made – the Great Hall was pulled down and the current poorhouse built on its site instead.<ref name=StaceyP38/> [[Opposition to the Poor Law]] grew, and in 1834 the [[Poor Law Amendment Act 1834|law was changed]] to reform the system; the poorhouse on the castle site was closed by 1839, the inhabitants being moved to the [[workhouse]] at [[Wickham Market]].<ref name=StaceyP38/>

[[Image:Framlingham Castle Postern Gate.jpg|thumb|left|The Lower Court (l) and Postern Gate (r)]]
The castle continued to fulfil several other local functions. During the outbreak of [[Black Death|plague]] in 1666, the castle was used as an [[Isolation ward (medicine)|isolation ward]] for infected patients, and during the [[Napoleonic Wars]] the castle was used to hold the equipment and stores of the local Framlingham Volunteer regiment.<ref>Stacey, pp.38–9.</ref> Following the closure of the poorhouse, the castle was then used as a [[drill]] hall and as a [[county court]], as well as containing the local parish [[jail]] and [[stocks]].<ref>Alexander, p.49; Stacey, p.40.</ref>

In 1913 the [[Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913|Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act]] was passed by Parliament and Pembroke College took the opportunity to place Framlingham into the guardianship of the [[First Commissioner of Works|Commissioner of Works]].<ref>Raby and Reynolds, p.14; Alexander, p.50.</ref> The undulating Inner Court was levelled up to its present form as part of the Commissioner's maintenance works.<ref>Alexander, p.50.</ref> During the [[Second World War]], Framlingham was an important defensive location for British forces; at least one [[concrete]] [[Bunker|pill box]] was built near to the castle as part of the plans to counter any German invasion, and [[Nissen hut]]s were erected and a lorry park created in the Bailey.<ref>Alexander, p.50; Stacey, p.40.</ref>

Today, Framlingham Castle is a [[scheduled monument]] and a [[grade I listed building]], managed by [[English Heritage]] and run as a [[tourist attraction]], incorporating the Lanman Museum of [[local history]].<ref>Stacey, p.17.</ref> The castle mere is owned by [[Framlingham College]] and run by the [[Suffolk Wildlife Trust]].<ref>Stacey, p.40.</ref>