Herstmonceux Castle - An Ivy Covered Ruin to a Restored Estate

Herstmonceux Castle was first owned by Sir Roger Fiennes (1384-1449), who received a royal license to expand and fortify his manor at Herstmonceux. Fiennes had fought for Henry V at Agincourt and was also later instrumental in planning the coronation for Margaret of Anjou, Henry's queen.

Henry rewarded Fiennes' loyalty with a license to crenelate dated 1441 (today conserved at The National Archives). That same license granted Fiennes the right to expand his property, essentially converting Herstmonceux from a private manor to an elaborate deer park with a fortified castle.

Herstmonceux Castle's sixty square metres were constructed using pink brick, likely produced on-site by Flemish craftsmen or workers trained by them. By the mid-fifteenth century, castles were already beginning to become obsolete modes of defence and most were, of course, made from stone, not brick. Herstmonceux's relatively fragile walls would not have withstood canon bombardment, which suggests to historians that Fiennes' true intent was to build a grand home while alluding to his noble and military pedigree.

Upon Sir Roger's passing in 1449, the estate fell to his son, Richard. Sir Roger's successors maintained the walls, interior rooms, the extensive interior courtyard, and the vast exterior lands for decades. However, the fate of the Herstmonceux walls would begin to become uncertain in the seventeenth century.

In 1929, the Castle passed briefly into the hands of Reginald Lawson, whose widow sold it to Sir Herbert Paul Latham in 1932. With the assistance of the renowned Lewes architect, Walter Godfrey (1881-1961), Latham rebuilt the remainder of the Castle and updated its splendid grounds. This included the plan for the gardens, the swimming pool, and the tennis courts, as well as the ancillary buildings still standing today, which served as his butler's residence and garage, some of which, you will encounter today!

Today, you will visit eight key points found on the Herstmonceux Estate. Each of these points were part of the updates and renovations following the Castle's decline between the mid-1700s and early 1900s. These improved areas include parts of the Castle exterior, and outdoor locations on the grounds themselves. These updates included renovations to improve the Castle's architectural integrity and appeal, while other additions were implemented to reinvigorate the beauty and overall aesthetic of the property. Welcome to Herstmonceux Castle, and prepare to discover how Sir Claude Lowther, Sir Paul Latham and their teams turned an ivy-covered ruin into a restored estate.