Framlingham Castle

Deep in the heart of the Suffolk countryside lies the village of Framlingham, not a remarkable village really; it has a market square, a couple of pubs, a hotel, some old buildings and an even older church.

The village does have a remarkable castle though, not only is it the first castle built in England without a Keep in the 12th century, it has a high curtain wall 2.5 metres thick and 13 towers linked by a high connecting walkway instead. It looks quite peculiar as all of the towers have high ornate Tudor chimneys which most fulfil no purpose at all but to simply make the castle look a bit like a stately home instead of a castle. The place was besieged by King John in 1216 but the siege was the shortest of the Barons war lasting only two days before surrendering.

But the most remarkable thing about the castle is that for a brief few days in 1553 it was the centre of the armed struggle for the succession to the Tudor throne.

Edward VI, died on July 9th and reneged on his father’s will to have Mary in the line of succession and named Protestant Lady Jane Grey as the rightful heir. The Duke of Northumberland proclaimed Jane Queen at Syon house on the Thames. Mary was in East Anglia and was urged to flee the country, but other supporters persuaded her to stay and many flocked to her banner at Framlingham, Mary marched on London on July 24th and the rest as they say is History.

Right next to the castle is the Church of St Michael, itself quite remarkable inside. It was Edward VI himself who ordered the completion in 1553. The building is unusual because little church construction was being carried out at this time of great uncertainty. Inside lie the tombs of several main Characters from the Tudor period. Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIII bastard son, The 3rd Duke of Norfolk, uncle to both Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Henry Earl of Surrey “The Poet Earl” this tomb wouldn’t be out of place at Westminster Abbey it is that ornate.

There are the two wives of the 4th Duke of Norfolk in one tomb, he lost his head when plotting to marry Mary Queen of Scots, and their effigies are set apart with a large space in the middle. It has been suggested that the large space between the effigies was reserved for Norfolk's third wife or himself or even perhaps Mary Queen of Scots. We know where Mary Queen of Scots did lie at Peterborough and now lies in Westminster Abbey. Conjecture is a fascinating argument for the Tudors.

These two places of Tudor history puts Framlingham firmly on the must see list for the Tudor enthusiasts.