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Someries Castle (sometimes spelt Summeries castle) is a 
Earthworks previously thought to originate from an earlier manor house are now considered to relate to the 15th century mansion's formal garden. Bricks from the mansion have been utilised in nearby 19th century farm buildings.The author Joseph Conrad lived in the neighbouring farmhouse from 1907 to 1909 while writing the novel '' Under Western Eyes''.
The castle closed to the public in February 2007 in order to make the structure safe and was surrounded by scaffolding, which damaged the original brickwork. It reopened in 2008.
Gatehouse Gazetteer record for Someries Castle
containing a comprehensive bibliography Houses in Bedfordshire Protected areas of Bedfordshire Castles in Bedfordshire Scheduled monuments in Bedfordshire Ruins in Bedfordshire Demolished buildings and structures in England Ruined castles in England
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...
, in the Parish of Hyde, near the town of Luton
Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable a ...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. It was built in the 15th century by Sir John Wenlock, whose ghost is reputed to haunt the castle. Although always referred to as a castle it was actually a fortified
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
manor house
A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...
.
The name "Someries Castle" is derived from William de Someries (or Somerys), who had a residence on this site, but the title "castle" is contentious since it hardly describes the structure to which it is applied.
The site was acquired by Wenlock in 1430 and building the mansion commenced. The house is regarded as one of the first brick buildings in England. The house was not completed by Wenlock, as the Tudor historian John Leland noted. Work was halted after Wenlock's death at the battle of Tewkesbury
The Battle of Tewkesbury, which took place on 4 May 1471, was one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses in England. King Edward IV and his forces loyal to the House of York completely defeated those of the rival House of Lancaster. ...
in 1471. The site passed to the Rotheram family. The mansion was partly demolished in the 18th century. The brickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar. Typically, rows of bricks called ''courses'' are laid on top of one another to build up a structure such as a brick wall.
Bricks may be differentiated from blocks by si ...
can still be seen in the remains of the gatehouse
A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mo ...
, incorporating the chapel and lodge, which still stands.
Earthworks previously thought to originate from an earlier manor house are now considered to relate to the 15th century mansion's formal garden. Bricks from the mansion have been utilised in nearby 19th century farm buildings.The author Joseph Conrad lived in the neighbouring farmhouse from 1907 to 1909 while writing the novel '' Under Western Eyes''.
The castle closed to the public in February 2007 in order to make the structure safe and was surrounded by scaffolding, which damaged the original brickwork. It reopened in 2008.
See also
*Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
Castles have played an important military, economic and social role in Great Britain and Ireland since their introduction following the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Although a small number of castles had been built in England in the 1050 ...
*List of castles in England
This list of castles in England is not a list of every building and site that has "castle" as part of its name, nor does it list only buildings that conform to a strict definition of a castle as a medieval fortified residence. It is not a li ...
References
{{reflistFurther reading
* T. P. Smith, "Someries Castle", ''Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal'', 3, 35–51, 1966. * T. P. Smith, "Someries Castle: some reconsiderations", ''Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal'', 5, 109–112, 1970. * T. P. Smith, "The early brickwork of Someries Castle, Bedfordshire and its place in the history of English brick building," ''Journal of the British Archaeological Association'', 129, 42–58, 1976.External links
Gatehouse Gazetteer record for Someries Castle
containing a comprehensive bibliography Houses in Bedfordshire Protected areas of Bedfordshire Castles in Bedfordshire Scheduled monuments in Bedfordshire Ruins in Bedfordshire Demolished buildings and structures in England Ruined castles in England