Castle Hunters Back In Action

More crossed off of our English Heritage Map!

Following on from my last two Castle posts which show the previous beauties we have been to. To see if you missed them you'll find them under - Castle Hunters & Finding Beauty in Ruin.

To kick start this, please see the following beautiful ruin!

3rd October - 

FRAMLINGHAM CASTLE 
Located: Church St, Framlingham, Woodbridge IP13 9BP
Framlingham is a stunning and magnificent late 12th Century castle. 
The castle is surrounded by parkland and estates and was once at the centre of a vast network of power and influence. 
The owners for over 400 years were the Earls and Dukes of Norfolk, the supreme magnates in East Anglia, Rich, ambitious and influential both at home and abroad. 

Framlingham castle was built by the Bigods, a powerful Norman family in the 12th century. The first stone buildings at the site are suggested to be the work of Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk (d. 1177). But it was under his successor, Roger Bigod II (d. 1221), that the huge stone curtain walls we see today were built.

5th October -

Leiston Abbey
Located: Abbey Rd, Leiston IP16 4TD
Around 1363 the abbey was moved away from it's previous location, which was on exceptionally unhealthy and swampy grounds. The abbey was rebuilt on its present site. The old abbey being dismantled for building materials (though a fragment of it can still be seen from it's old location) and as a result the 14th century abbey incorporates some Norman features to the build.

Robert de Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, oversaw the rebuilding of the abbey on a much larger scale than the original and included several new chapels.
The outside walls were finished with fine chequerwork, while the windows had delicate Perpendicular-style tracery. The abbey was home to Augustinian canons who followed the Premonstratensian rule. The domestic buildings were damaged by fire in the 1380s and were then rebuilt.
Orford CastleLocated: Castle Hill, Orford, Woodbridge IP12 2ND

Orford Castle was built int he 12th Century for Henry II.

The polygonal keep of Orford Castle is a landmark on the Suffolk landscape. 

The Castle's design makes it one of the most unusual castles, matched by it's history. The site has seen all kinds of drama from civil war to betrayal, along with local legend to local lunches.

Orford castle has it's own very strange Myth, which I thought I would also share with you, this is called:

ORFORD'S WILD MAN OF THE SEA

This strange myth originated back in the 13th century and still pervades Orfords Castle to this day. The myth stems from the writing of Ralph of Coggeshall, who in 1207 reported the following: 

"It happened that the fisherman, fishing in the sea, caught in their nets a wild man, whom in their wonder they bought to the castellan. 

The 'castellan' or constable, went on to keep the poor 'wild man' in custody, this no doubt being at Orford Castle, he was kept there for many days and nights, where he was tortured. 

There chronicler mused that 'Whether this was a mortal man or some fish pretending to have human form, it is not easy to conclude'.

The 'mysterious' prisoner eventually made his escape back to the sea. The Fishman's story is still remembered and you will find his likeness on the font in Orford Church. 

Not a bad little bundle there! 

We're off again very soon on our next trip so stay tuned!!

Until next time,

Little P

XO