Editing Framlingham Castle (section)

===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/>