Arundel Castle - One of England's Finest Castles - English Castles

Arundel Castle is one of the greatest attractions of West Sussex with a history spanning nearly a thousand years. We take a walk around the impressive grounds that overlook the river Arran and the beautiful town below. If you missed last week's video we've already toured the historic streets and lanes of the town and shared some of the fascinating history, so do check that out at the end. We enter the castle grounds from the lower lodge entrance. Parking is conveniently just across the road in Mill Road costing £5 for a day. For the latest ticket information and opening times check out this website. The castle looked very different 1,000 years ago when Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel was commissioned to build it by William the Conqueror in 1067. The oldest part, the keep, was built on top of an artificial mound called the Mott following the Norman conquest in 1066. It was originally constructed of timber providing 360 degree views across the south downs and out to sea. Roger de Montgomery was one of the principal councillors of William the Conqueror and was gifted land as a thank you for his support in the conquest on the understanding that he built a castle for defence. Much of this land we know today is the county of West Sussex. Arundel was a growing important town on the river and the castle was deemed essential to protect it from attack. The vast complex is today a result of numerous centuries of expansion, restoration following wars and improvements by successive owners. Luckily a number of the original features have still been retained. We are walking in the lower lawns. There is a gardener's market going on today. The castle holds a number of fairs and events throughout the year and visitors can even enjoy the spectacle of a recreated jousting tournament. Do check the website for what's on. These are the recently opened water gardens. They were the original stew ponds in which the friaries and castle's inhabitants kept fish for eating in stews. There is a variety of wildlife to observe as you wander the boardwalks and the new thatched boathouse and roundhouse. The castle has pretty much been in the same family for 800 years. William d'Aubigny, the first Earl of Arundel inherited the castle in 1138 and since then it has continued to be passed down from father to son and sometimes father to daughter. The Fitzalan family were the owners in the 13th century and they undertook a large program of renovations. The Fitzalan male line ceased on the death of Henry Fitzalan, the 12th Earl of Arundel, whose daughter and heiress Mary Fitzalan married Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk in 1555. Thomas's grandfather was the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, an uncle to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard who would both go on to marry King Henry VIII before being beheaded. We'll now take a stroll through the rose garden which is seen at its best in June. The season is almost over during our visit. This was formerly the site of an 18th century bowling green. During the English civil war Arundel castle was besieged twice, first by the royalists and then by the parliamentarians whose siege lasted 18 days. Following their victory many important castles and stately homes were destroyed and Arundel was badly damaged and left in ruins for 150 years. The Howard family retained ownership of the castle and made a fortune during the industrial revolution allowing them to renovate the castle, giving it a new lease of life and creating a 19th century stately home. Queen Victoria came from Osborne house with her husband Prince Albert for three days in 1846. The 13th Duke of Norfolk undertook a large remodeling scheme to accommodate them. The bedroom and library furniture was specifically commissioned for the visit. In 1800 Arundel castle opened its doors to visitors for the first time to see the keep and gatehouse. From 1856 this included the gardens but it was not until the railway station was built in 1864 that the numbers rose dramatically coinciding with the demise of Arundel port but creating opportunity for commerce through tourism that's still flourishing today. The last renovations that show the castle as we see it today were thanks to Henry the 15th Duke of Norfolk. His project was completed in 1900. We have arrived at the high street lodge entrance. The 12th Duke of Norfolk demolished houses at the top of the high street and moved the route of the London road to improve the entrance into the castle grounds. We are now making our way to the Fitzallan chapel founded in 1380 by the 4th Earl of Arundel. It is in the chancel of the church of Saint Nicholas in the western grounds of the castle. If you watched last week we mentioned the church during our walkabout. Entry is through this pretty garden known as the white garden. Unusually Saint Nicholas is one of very few church buildings that is divided into two worship areas. A roman catholic area the chancel and an anglican area the nave and transepts. They're separated by iron gates that are only opened on special occasions. The Fitzallan chapel is used as the private mausoleum of the earls of Arundel and dukes of Norfolk. A number of noted Fitzallan and Howard family members are buried in the chapel, many in tombs adorned with sculptured effigies. Most notable was Philip Howard, 13th Earl of Arundel. He lived mainly during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was charged with being a roman catholic, quitting England without leave and sharing Jesuit plots. For this he was sent to the Tower of London in 1585. Howard spent 10 years in the tower until his death from dysentery. He was buried in the tower's church without ceremony but 29 years later brought to the Fitzallan chapel with the consent of King James I. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the 40 martyrs of England and Wales. His remains were then moved one final time and enshrined in Arundel Cathedral, at which point the church changed its dedication to Our Lady and St Philip Howard. Continuing our walk around the 40 acres on this lovely day we are heading to the extraordinary gardens. We were in for a bit of a surprise. The 14th Earl of Arundel, Thomas Howard, was an avid collector bringing back many exquisite items from a grand tour of Europe. When he died he possessed 700 paintings along with a large collection of sculptures, marble carvings, books and antique jewelry. He became known as the collector earl. Inspired by this story the garden was given a major makeover by Isabel and Julian Bannerman, their creation the collector earl's garden is where we are walking now incorporating themes related to Howard's travels in Italy and including designs by his traveling companion one Inigo Jones. The centerpiece of the garden is the oak Oberon's palace surrounded by tropical planting. The palace is an exact translation of Inigo Jones drawings. Inside this pavilion is a shellwork grotto and a fountain that when the water spurts magically supports a golden coronet. From this area you can look back across the collector earl's garden. The stumpery was designed and constructed by head gardener Martin Duncan, utilizing roots of ancient yew, sweet chestnut and oak stumps recovered on the estate mostly from casualties of the famous October 1987 storms. The garden is very well laid out and includes english herbaceous borders, the cut flower garden and the organic kitchen garden that supplies the castle with fresh fruit vegetables and cut flowers. The first of the two large glass houses contains cultivated exotic and tropical fruits. The second victorian dating from 1850 and restored is the vine and peach house, a selection of autumn fruits and vegetables and a large chili collection are here. Leaving the gardens behind us we head to the castle and Bevis tower. Legend says that Bevis a great giant from ancient times agreed to become warder of the gate and the tower was built to accommodate him. From this location you get great views of the keep sitting on the motte and the extensive curtain wall of the castle. We have dropped down into the dry moat and it's at this point you can see just how steep and imposing the motte is, a perfect deterrent for would-be attackers. During the English civil war in 1643, the parliamentarians managed to drain the water supply to the castle at nearby Swanbourne lake. The defending forces managed to hold out for 16 days before being forced to surrender, dying of thirst. Ahead of us is the Barbican, the castle gatehouse built around 1080, another of the very original parts of the castle. We would love to show you the interiors but sadly filming and photography is not allowed inside the castle. It is home to an impressive array of priceless artwork such as works from Van Dyck, Gainsborough and Canaletto, as well as a vast collection of furniture, sculptures and tapestries. We can however share the views from on top of the keep. 131 steep steps bring us up to the strongest and highest point of the castle. The views are incredible with the sea, river Arran, town and the south downs all in sight. We can also see the private apartments of the current duke that still lives here. The dukes of Norfolk have been the hereditary earl marshals since 1672. The office involves the organization of major state events such as royal weddings, coronations and funerals. The current duke Edward William Fitzalan Howard, 18th duke of Norfolk, organized Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and will continue his duty with the coronation of King Charles III later this year. Well that's it from Arundel Castle, hope you enjoyed our time here in the gardens. Amazing place, really interesting. Thanks very much for watching, we've got more like this on the channel so do subscribe, give us a like and join us again on our next video.