Editing Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire (section)

==History==

Tattershall Castle has its origins in either a stone [[castle]] or a fortified [[manor house]], built by Robert de Tattershall in 1231.<ref name=Guide>{{cite book|title=Tattershall Castle Guide|year=1974|publisher=The National Trust|author=M. W. Thompson}}</ref> This was largely rebuilt in brick, and greatly expanded, by [[Ralph Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell]], [[Lord High Treasurer|Treasurer of England]], in the 15th century.<ref name=Guide/> [[Dendrochronology|Tree ring dating]] indicates that construction was underway  between 1406 and 1431.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krakowka |first=K. |date=2022-10-06 |title=Research reveals Tattershall Castle was an architectural trendsetter |url=https://the-past.com/news/tattershall-castle-as-a-trendsetter/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=the-past.com}}</ref>

Brick castles are less common in England than stone or earth and timber constructions; when brick was chosen as a building material it was often for its aesthetic appeal or because it was fashionable. The trend for using bricks was introduced by Flemish weavers. There was plenty of stone available nearby, but Cromwell chose to use brick.<ref name="Adrian"/> About 700,000&nbsp;bricks were used to build the castle, which has been described as "the finest piece of medieval brick-work in England".<ref name=Adrian>{{cite book|title=English Castles: A Guide by Counties|publisher=Boydell & Brewer|author=Adrian Pettifer|pages=145–7|year=2002}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Friar|2003|pp=38–40.}}</ref>

Of Lord Cromwell's castle, the {{cvt|130|ft|adj=on}} high<ref name=NT>{{cite web|title=Tattershall Castle|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-tattershallcastle/w-tattershallcastle-brief_history.htm|publisher=National Trust|access-date=22 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210142118/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-tattershallcastle/w-tattershallcastle-brief_history.htm|archive-date=10 February 2011}}</ref> Great Tower and [[moat]] still remain. It is thought that the castle's three state rooms were once splendidly fitted out and the chambers were heated by immense [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] fireplaces with decorated chimney pieces and [[tapestries]]. It has been said that the castle was an early domestic country mansion masquerading as a fortress.<ref name="Adrian"/> Cromwell died in 1456, and the castle was initially inherited by his niece, [[Robert Radcliffe of Hunstanton|Joan Bouchier]], but it was confiscated by the Crown after her husband's demise and remained in royal ownership from king [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] to king [[Henry VIII]].<ref name=NT/> Tattershall Castle was recovered in 1560 by [[Sir Henry Sidney]], who sold it to Lord Clinton, later [[Earl of Lincoln]], and it remained with the Earls of Lincoln until 1693.<ref name=Guide/> It passed to the Fortesques,<ref name=Guide/> but then fell into neglect.

It was put up for sale in 1910. Its greatest treasures, the huge medieval fireplaces, were still intact. When an American bought them they were ripped out and packaged up for shipping. [[George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston|Lord Curzon of Kedleston]] stepped in at the eleventh hour to buy the castle and was determined to get the fireplaces back. After a nationwide hunt they were found in London and returned.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21587468|title=The man who demolished Shakespeare's house|first=Denise|last=Winterman|date=7 March 2013|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> He undertook restorations of the castle between 1911 and 1914.<ref name=Guide/><ref name="Adrian"/> It was gifted to the [[National Trust]], on his death, in 1925<ref name=Guide/> and remains today one of the three most important surviving brick castles of the mid-15th-century in the United Kingdom.<ref name=NT/>

The experience of Tattershall led Lord Curzon to push for heritage protection law in Britain; this was enacted as the [[Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913]].