Grimsthorpe Castle And North Court

This grand country house incorporates the substantial remains of a medieval castle. The building has an exceptionally complex history spanning eight centuries, with major construction phases in the 13th century (possibly extending into the 14th century), a large-scale rebuilding around 1541 by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, late 17th-century alterations by the Second Earl of Lindsey, the creation of the remarkable north front around 1723 by Sir John Vanbrugh for the First Duke of Ancaster, further alterations in 1756, remodelling of the west front in 1811 by Page and Garling, 19th-century changes, work around 1900 by Detmar Blow, and 20th-century alterations and additions. The castle is built of limestone ashlar with Collyweston and Welsh slate roofs. It follows a quadrangular plan with angle towers and features numerous wall, gable and ridge ashlar chimney stacks.

The North Front

The north front, designed by Vanbrugh, extends across 11 bays over two storeys, flanked by projecting three-storey single-bay angle towers. The façade has a plinth and first-floor band. Either side of the centrepiece features rusticated paired Doric pillars supporting a triglyph frieze containing the Ancaster cannon, surmounted by a balustraded parapet with urns. At the centre stand the Ancaster arms with life-sized supporters, flanked by groups of classical statues on panelled bases. The towers have rusticated quoins and modillioned cornices surmounted by balustrades with urns at the corners.

The central entrance consists of eight-panelled double doors within a moulded stone surround with pediment and triglyph frieze, flanked by triple windows. Beyond these are single windows, and the flanking towers contain further single windows with rusticated surrounds and stepped keyblocks. The first floor displays seven windows to the centre section with single windows beyond, while the towers each have a single Venetian window with pulvinated frieze and dentillated cornice. All the central windows have semi-circular heads and fixed glazing bar sashes with eared and shouldered pedimented stone architraves.

The West Front

At the south end of the west front stands the projecting early 13th-century King John's Tower. The north end comprises the three side bays of Vanbrugh's north front corner tower, with one of Charles Brandon's lower three-storey 16th-century towers to its left. Between the two towers are five 16th-century canted bay windows rising through two storeys with embattled tops. The plain parapet and central elevated stack were added around 1900.

The South Front

The south front features a four-storey 16th-century tower on the left, bearing a sundial and cartouche dated 1756. King John's Tower stands at the right-hand end. Between them are eight gabled 16th-century bays, refenestrated in the mid-18th century with glazing bar sashes, three stepped chimney stacks, and substantial evidence of the original fenestration pattern.

The East Front

The east front was largely remodelled around 1811 and incorporates the side of Vanbrugh's north front at the left-hand end and the Charles Brandon tower at the right-hand end. Between the towers runs a three-storey, nine-bay range punctuated by three projecting 16th-century chimney stacks. The windows between are of two lights with glazing bar sashes, having four-centred arched heads with dripmoulds in Neo-Gothic style.

The North Courtyard

The north courtyard, also designed by Sir John Vanbrugh around 1723, consists of flanking walls, corner towers, a screen and a pair of gates, constructed in ashlar and wrought iron. The coped side walls each contain 18 blank niches with rusticated semi-circular arches, moulded imposts and stone seats. These walls connect to square two-storey angle towers with plinth, rusticated quoins, moulded first-floor band, and balustraded parapet with large circular finials. The ground floor of each tower has a single square window with rusticated quoins and stepped keyblocks, while the first floor has a single square fixed light in an eared and shouldered surround.

Low ashlar walls with panelled piers link the towers and support handsome wrought iron side screens leading to the central gate by Edward Nutt. This consists of two gates with scrolled mid-rails and fleur-de-lys. Either side has pierced panels with scrolls and leaves supporting single acanthus motifs and an overthrow comprising the three cannons badge with gilded supporters and a ducal crown, all set in a gilded frieze.

Interior

The Great Hall

The two-storey Great Hall by Vanbrugh has arcaded side walls. On the south wall, the upper arches are painted in grisaille with seven Kings of England by Sir James Thornhill. At each end, triple arched openings divide the hall from the staircases. The ceiling has a slightly domed oval recess with floriate centrepiece, and the black and white marble floor reflects this pattern. The inner doorcase features fluted Doric piers with triglyph frieze and Willoughby head. The massive chimneypiece has a square surround with blank panel over, flanked by Willoughby heads on ornate fluted bases and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

The double stairs at each end have delicate wrought iron balustrades by Bell of Sheffield. The ceilings over the staircases are painted, on the west side by Sir James Thornhill and on the east by Francesco Sleter.

The East Entrance Hall

The east entrance hall is a tripartite vaulted space by Vanbrugh, resembling an undercroft.

Principal Rooms

To the east of the Hall on the first floor lies the State Dining Room with a fine painted ceiling, probably also by Francesco Sleter, and a beautiful fireplace possibly by Sir Henry Cheere. The King James Dining Room displays a complex decorative scheme with fluted pilasters, semi-circular headed doorways, and delicate plasterwork to walls and ceilings.

The State Drawing Room has similar decoration drawn from different periods, with an oval ceiling panel, ornate bay windows, and a further fireplace also possibly by Cheere. The Tapestry Drawing Room, narrower and lower than the others, is possibly of 14th-century origin although its decorations are all 18th and 19th century.

In King John's Tower is the Birdcage dressing room with paintings on the vault by Clement and Chinese wallpaper.

The Chapel

On the west side of the Hall is the Chapel by Vanbrugh, with the lower part by Detmar Blow. Each wall contains three shell-headed niches. The windows have broken pediments with cartouches and fluted Corinthian pilasters to the upper stage. The elaborate pulpit stands on a pedestal with panels and acanthus flourishes to the corners, with ornate plaster balustrade to the steps. The fine ceiling with quatrefoil centre and decorated beams is featured in a book of William Kent designs.

Further Rooms

The Chinese Drawing Room has a coved ceiling with octagonal coffering and painting by Clermont. The woodwork is of black and gold fretwork with inset lacquer panels.

The more domestic rooms of the south range include the library and yellow drawing room, with full-height 18th-century panelling and marble bolection-moulded angle fireplaces. The doors along the long corridor are all panelled with semi-circular heads and keyblocks.

Historical Context

The first castle was probably built by Gilbert de Gant in the early 13th century, and King John's Tower survives from this period. The Tenth Lord Willoughby was granted the castle in 1516. His daughter, Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, inherited the estate and married her guardian, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. After the Reformation, he pulled down the adjacent Vaudey Abbey and used the materials to build a courtyard house very rapidly in 1540, completing it in time for a visit by King Henry VIII in 1541.

The next major phase of development occurred after the Restoration when Montagu, the Fourteenth Lord Willoughby d'Eresby, rebuilt the north front. Blocked cross-mullioned windows on the south side of Vanbrugh's north front are all that remain of this phase.

The early 18th-century redevelopment was commissioned by the First Duke of Ancaster in 1715 when Sir John Vanbrugh was asked to redesign the castle. Vanbrugh died before the work was completed and it is thought that Hawksmoor may have finished the work to the north front.