Why build a Castle at Wisbech? Provide a centre of operations Assert the new authority of The Normans Control the Fenmen Protection against theVikings.

Why build a Castle Why build a Castle at Wisbech?at Wisbech?Provide a centre of

operationsAssert the new authority of The NormansControl the Fenmen

Protection against theVikings

A good strategic location

Good sea and river communications

Estuary

River W

yse or Ouse

Staithe

Saxon Settlement

Course of the Wisbech Canal 1796

Present Course of the Nene

The Mount

The CastleFerry

Crossing point

LocationLocationMount Pleasant Sea Bank

N

The River Wyse and the Saxon word ’bec’ or stream provides the origin of the town’s name

The River Wyse or Ouse was later diverted to the

present outfall at King’s Lynn

TimelineTimeline

1087 Stone castle completed

1216 King John’s visit

1236 Damaged by flood

1246 first Constable William Justice, a further eight Constables held office until 1489

1291 John de Lacey pardoned after breaking out

1315 Richard Lambert of Lynn

‘so inhumanly gnawed by toads and venomous vermin that his life was despaired

of’

1071 Timber castle constructed

The Bishop’s PalaceThe Bishop’s Palace

Built in 1478 by Bishop Morton

Later Cardinal Morton Archbishop of Canterbury

Enlarged 1483 by Bishop Alcock

Died at Wisbech in 15001609-1619 Bishop Andrews

1631-1638 Bishop White

‘Considerable sums spent on the residence’

No records exist of the Bishop’s Palace

The Bishop of Lincoln’s Palace at Buckden

The Palace as a prisonThe Palace as a prison

During the 16th century with the establishment of the Church of England, Roman Catholics

particularly their priests faced imprisonment. The idea of concentrating such prisoners in one place dates from 1572 when the Privy Council asked the

Bishop of Ely about the suitability of Wisbech Castle.

One such priest was William Weston, he was sent from

France to give encouragement to Roman Catholics

‘a firebrand has come among us’

The Palace as a prisonThe Palace as a prison

In 1588 with the fear of a Spanish invasion, notable Catholics were imprisoned, two

such Catholics were…

Robert Catesby and Francis TreshamAfter their release and some years later

in 1606 they were the principal conspirators in

TheThe Civil WarCivil WarFenland was predominently Parliamentarian and in

1643 the castle was put in a state of defence, £11.12s.6d was spent repairing the drawbridge.

By 1656, Oliver Cromwell had the old palace demolished, possibly to prevent it falling into Royalist

hands

It was acquired by The Hon Sir John Thurloe PC MP, Secretary of State to Oliver Cromwell, he built the house which was to

become known as Thurloe’s Mansion

Thurloe’s MansionThurloe’s Mansion

The mansion was probably designed by Peter Mills who was responsible for Thorpe Hall at

PeterboroughAfter the restoration of the monarchy, ownership

of the property reverted to the Bishops of Ely, who stayed occasionally on their visits to Wisbech.

In 1668 it is recorded that the Corporation ordered the purchase of a calf, a wethersheep and

an ox to be brought to the Bishop’s table.

The estate was then leased to local families and the Southwells occupied the premises for over 100

years.

Edward Southwell paid a rent of £30 a year

Thurloe’s MansionThurloe’s Mansion

THE THE CASTLESICASTLESI

TETE

Ghost Passage

Castle Square

Market Street

Museum SquarePresent House

The Crescent

The Regency VillaThe Regency Villa

Constructed from the recycled Mansion

Many original internal and external features

Castle Lodge constructed in the same way

The VaultsThe Vaults

Cellars to Thurloe’s Mansion

Parts may date from Bishop’s Palace

The well thought to have served the Norman Castle

JosephJoseph MedworthMedworthBorn in Wisbech 1752 the son of a

ropemaker

Married Sarah Fisher in 1775 at Wisbech St Peter’s Church

Having prospered as a builder and property developer he returned to Wisbech in 1793 and bought the Castle

Estate

Moved to Bermondsey which was a busy port and had at least three ropewalks, did he move initially to

follow his father’s trade?

Took up the trade of bricklayer in an expanding London

The Capital Burgesses, turned down his offer possibly hoping to get a better price, or because they

disapproved of Mr Medworth

He had attracted much scandal through his relationships with his housekeepers, his wife

remaining in LondonHe decided therefore, in 1815 to demolish the mansion using much of the materials to build a

new house on the site

His plans also included construction of the Crescent, Union Place and Ely Place within the newly developed site

He developed plans for the redevelopment of the town, which required the resiting of the

Grammar School to his mansion which he offered to the town for £2000

The Medworth InheritanceThe Medworth Inheritance

Joseph Medworth died in 1827, leaving houses in the Crescent to Sarah Rowell and her children and the children of Sarah Gibson with an income from

the Castle rents.

He also left his wife an income of £100 per year and house and possessions in Bermondsey

By 1864, under the terms of the will, the house had to be sold by order of the High Court of ChanceryThe property was then purchased by local bankers

the Peckover family for £1300, it was leased for various uses, as a school, dentists surgery and an

opticians practice until 1957.

1957-19691957-1969In 1957, when the Castle was yet again on the market, there was considerable local

concern that it might be demolished

However it was bought by Mr and Mrs Fendick, Mr Fendick was Chief Education Officer for the Isle of

Ely.

Following his death in 1969 Mrs Fendick bequeathed the property to the Education

Authority.

It was her wish that the Castle be used as a

‘LIVING MUSEUM’for the benefit of local schoolchidren

The Castle TodayThe Castle Today

The Castle is still owned by the local authority, Cambridgeshire County Council

and is operated by Professional Centre Services for…

A meeting and training venue for the County Council and other public and private

organisationsOffice accommodationEducational visits for schoolchildren

A range of activities designed to enhance the National Curriculum

Civil CeremoniesA popular venue for civil weddings

Produced by Geoffrey Wilkinson Site Manager Cambridgeshire County Council 2008