Tattershall Castle

The brick built Tattershall castle was constructed between 1434 to 1445 by Ralph Cromwell, Lord Treasurer to Henry VI and replaced an earlier 13th century castle.

The keep was square with hexagonal towers and reflected Lord Cromwell's travels in France with the English army where this style of keep was still popular. Built over a vaulted basement the keep rises through four storeys to a roof gallery built out on corbels and said to be unique.

There are fine chambers on each floor and small rooms in the corner towers.The keep is over 100 feet high. Although the castle was protected by an enclosing wall and two moats, the keep had large windows open to attack.

The keep was in reality a magnificent country mansion built to resemble the great defensive keep of the 12th century. The brickwork on both the exterior and interior is very fine as are the Gothic stone fireplaces.

After the death of Lord Cromwell the property passed to the Crown and then to the Earls of Lincoln. There is little recorded about this period but the castle did not become involved in the conflicts of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Finally it was bought by Lord Curzon in 1911. He restored the tower which was in a ruinous condition and re-excavated the moat. He also rescued the stone fireplaces that had been removed and were on their way to America.

In 1926 Lord Curzon bequeathed the castle to the National Trust.

The outerwall was not replaced and today the castle stands in isolation and can been seen from miles away across the Lincolnshire levels.