Tamworth Castle

Tamworth Castle

Castle, now museum. The castle began as a late 11th century motte and bailey, rebuilt in the 12th century with early 13th century repairs or reconstruction. A north wing with a probable first floor hall dates to the 12th or 13th century. An early 15th century hall range, 16th century warder's lodge, early 17th century south wing, and alterations around 1800 followed.

The building is constructed of stone rubble with ashlar and brick with ashlar dressings, with tile and flat lead roofs. The plan forms an H-shape, with a shell keep incorporating a north-east tower with warder's lodge to its south, and later ranges completing the composition. The curtain walls have embattled parapets.

The tower has a battered base, flat buttresses and rounded turrets. A 14th century two-light traceried window and top window with label mould over three round-headed lights with transom are notable features.

The warder's house to the left has a 14th century pointed entrance set in a canted bay beneath a gable. Late 16th century double-chamfered-mullioned windows of three and four lights are present.

The south wing displays a circa 1800 ashlar facade. Ground floor windows contain three pointed lights. First floor windows have five and seven lights with transoms; similar three-light windows appear on the second floor.

The north range has two square projections forming the bases of bay windows, demolished around 1800. It features three-light transomed windows in splayed surrounds with brattishing. Six-light and three-light windows appear above, with similar windows to the right including a French window over a corbelled base to an oriel. To the left, three-light windows with splayed surrounds and brattishing are present.

The inner court contains a warder's lodge to the south east, a two-storey structure with attic. Renewed double-chamfered-mullioned windows with leaded glazing are fitted beneath a coped gable with kneelers.

The south range is brick with ashlar dressings, two storeys, with a two-window range. Quoins, plinth, platt bands and a 19th century embattled parapet are features. The entrance to the right sits in a doorcase with a four-centred head, with remains of paired pilasters to an entablature bearing cresting and an armorial panel. Ground floor windows are three lights with pegged casements. First floor windows are four lights with transoms and ovolo-mullioned design. Second floor windows are three lights with double-chamfered-mullioned pattern.

The hall has a brick plinth, exposed wall post and large 17th century wood-mullioned and transomed windows with leaded glazing forming a glazed wall. A stair turret to the right has two-light hollow-chamfered-mullioned windows. The east end of the north range is mostly brick, with a blocked first floor door to the west end.

Interior features include the hall with tie beam and double collar trusses with struts and wind braces, displaying ovolo-mouldings with fillets to posts and soffits of trusses. Enriched doorcases and a fireplace with Mannerist detail, moved from a house in Kent around 1822, are present.

A Tudor-headed main entrance with studded door leads into the castle. A closed-well stair serves the north wing, which contains three rooms with fireplace and doorcases from the same Kent house.

The south wing contains two first floor rooms with 17th century panelling and contemporary fireplaces with pilasters and entablatures. Enriched overmantels feature flanking figures and relief carving of biblical scenes, with armorial panels dating to around 1800. The warder's house has a similar first floor room with panelling and fireplace overmantel.

The tower contains a stair with strapwork panels and top splat balusters, and a room with panelling and a Tudor-arched fireplace.

The castle has been inhabited since the Norman Conquest, except for a mid-19th century break when it was used in connection with nearby mills (since demolished). It was purchased by the local council in 1897 and opened to the public. James I stayed at the castle, and Sir Walter Scott referred to it in his poem Marmion.