HOLT CASTLE, Holt

Holt Castle

It is thought that John Beauchamp (executed 1388) built Holt Castle. The only surviving original portion of which is the square tower that dominates the west elevation, with fifteenth and sixteenth century additions behind. Lords often had to borrow large amounts of money to pay for the skilled workers needed to build the stone keep. The inhabitants of the manor augmented the work force.

In January 1606 the castle played host to two suspected conspiritors in the 'Gun Powder Plot', who were captured and held by Sir Henry Bromley.

The castle became the farm residence in 1750 when Lord Foley of Witley Court in Great Witley parish acquired Holt Manor. It must have been a great honour to be offered the tenancy of the home farm and occupy such a grand ‘farmhouse’. A farm bailiff was often employed to oversee this farm and the others in the parish.

Following the death of the last farmer resident, James Best, in 1904, the Castle then became  a  private residence for Mrs. Micholls, who had a second address in Albert Court, London. She was still in residence in 1920. The Home Farm and Castle were described in great detail and glowing terms in the 1920 sale brochure. Despite this the whole went unsold until 1925 when it was split into five lots. The castle itself became a self-contained independent private residence in the 1920’s, being purchased by Mrs. Felicia Pypys Cockrell, a direct descendant of the Royal House of Stuart. Frederick& Kathleen Harper purchased the castle in 1947 and sold it in 1986 to Mrs L. A. Hayes.

In the late 1980s the castle was put on the market with planning permission for conversation to a hotel. It is now however a private residence. The current owners established the castle as a wedding venue, but it is understood that this facility is no longer offered.

There are four listed building designations associated with Holt Castle and its environs. The listing for the castle reads 'Holt Castle 12.11.51 GV I Fortified house. C14 tower; rest of original fortified structure rebuilt C15, altered in C16, remodelled early C18, further additions and alterations mid-C19. Coursed sandstone rubble, sandstone ashlar, tiled roofs, partly 2-span having gable end parapets, partly hipped, all behind embattled parapet; large external sandstone chimney at front right with 3 diagonal brick shafts and oversailing cap courses; additional large brick stacks in valley behind front ridge. Square tower; main building adjoins east elevation, its rectangular plan incorporating an L-shaped fragment of C15 building in form of large hall to front of south end and a solar wing, now at the centre of the house, which projected eastwards and is expressed in the gable which interrupts the embattled parapet in the east elevation; originally it also had a west gable too. During the C16 the hall and solar were floored and fireplaces built. Probably once a south service wing which was demolished when the south wall of the hall was rebuilt in c1700, and the plan was squared up by the addition of a hipped wing, east of the hall block in the angle with the solar, containing a staircase and drawing room. The entire structure was refaced at this time and the interior was remodelled. During the mid-C19 two wings were built onto the north wall of the solar portion, matching the early C18 refacing; a further extension was added to the gable end of the easternmost wing, shorter in length and of lower height. Tower: 4 stages. Walls are 4 feet thick at base. West elevation has a pointed arched doorway with double planked doors, and each of the three stages above has a pointed arched window with 2 cusped ogee- headed lights and a quatrefoil light above; there is a small rectangular stair- light on the second stage. The north elevation has a pointed arched planked door, and a pointed arched window with a single cusped ogee-headed light on the second and fourth stages, and 3 rectangular stairlights down the right side. The south elevation has 3 narrow loopholes to its lower stage and a window to the second and fourth stage similar to those on the north elevation with 2 stairlights at the far left side. The east elevation has a blocked window. Above the fourth stage is a string course, with grotesque heads at the corners, beneath an embattled parapet. Main building: 2 storeys, attic with hipped dormers and cellar; string course beneath embattled parapet and between main storeys to south and east elevations. West front elevation: to left of projecting tower fenestration is regular, having paired 18-pane sashes with central splayed mullions, 3 pairs at ground floor and 4 pairs at first floor level, and a pointed arched doorway with planked door and arched plain fanlight beneath the third pair on the first floor; at the far right is a hipped dormer with casement window. To right of tower is the large external sandstone stack, flanked at first floor level by paired 18-pane sashes. East garden elevation Irregular fenestration; right of centre gable end of former solar breaks forward having ground and first floor multi-paned sashes with side lights, a long C16 4-light mullioned window in the gable with a small light above in apex. On left side at south end are 2 large multi-paned ground floor sash windows with 2 glazing bar sashes above; to right of these are 2 long multi-paned stairlights which overlap both storeys, beneath the left one is a small 6-pane sash and beneath the shorter, right window is a part-glazed door and 6-pane fanlight. Two flights of stone steps lead up to doorway, with elaborate wrought iron railings and, at the top, the initials WB and MB inter- twined, presumably the intermarriage of the Bromley and Beauchamp families. Beneath the steps is a trefoil-shaped cast iron trough, with a frieze of figures and a grotesque mask set in curved back providing the fountainhead. There are 3 hipped dormers with casements behind the parapet above this left side of the east elevation. On the right side of the gabled section are 2 paired 18-pane sash windows on the first floor, and a group of 3 and a pair of similar windows on the ground floor, all with chamfered mullions; in the east wing extension is a glazing bar sash. The south elevation has regular fenestration; there are 4 ground floor 18-pane sashes with 4 first floor glazing bar sashes and 2 hipped dormers with casements. Interior: Tower: ground floor divided into two having a C15 vaulted corridor into main build- ing with 2 narrow chambers on south side. In thickness of north wall is a straight flight of stone stairs to the first floor now reached through door in north external elevation, but originally approached through doorway in solar part of house, now blocked. Also spiral staircase in south-west corner, now blocked and upper flight broken away. Main building: solar roof believed to retain C15 timbers. On ground floor west wall has blocked doorway to cellar in angle with tower, and beside it blocked entrance to tower stairs, as previously referred to. Attic floor of solar divided by C16 partition, both rooms having remains of C16 plastering. Early C18 dog-leg staircase with narrow turned balusters, moulded handrail and panelled dado. Hall, dining and drawing rooms all have early C18 panelling and finishings. Tower believed to have been built by John Beauchamp, the first lord Beauchamp of Kidderminster, who was executed in 1388.'

The listing for a wall adjoining the castle reads 'Fortification wall adjoining Holt Castle at south-west corner GV II Fortification wall. C15. Coursed sandstone rubble. Approx 3 feet thick and 32 yards long running westwards at right angles to Castle (qv). Part of it is battlemented, merlons have ridged capping, and a wall-walk a few feet below crenellation height on its northern elevation. At its western end is a doorway leading from the forecourt to the garden; it has a two-centred doorhead and wrought iron gate.'

Near the river-side of the castle the listing for another feature reads 'Retaining wall about 60 yards east and terracing about 80 yards south-east of Holt Castle GV II Retaining wall and terracing. Retaining wall of early C18 date. South terracing appears to preserve C16 arrangement. Retaining wall is of handmade brick, with stone copings and angled brick buttresses. Runs parallel to Castle (qv) on north- west, south-east axis for about 100 yards and then turns at right angles and runs approx 30 yards in south-east direction where it incorporates a small doorway, flanked by brick pilasters and with a wrought iron gate. Terracing runs from gateway to south-east corner of Castle and includes a flight of stone steps adjacent to Castle.'

In the grounds of the castle the listing for an underground structure reads 'Game store about 18 yards west of Holt Castle GV II Game store. Probably late C18. Brick. Rectangular plan with vaulted roof and central square brick pier. Brick steps down to entrance doorway on east side. Above ground is a circular sandstone ventilation shaft with iron grille.'