Chillingham Castle

Chillingham castle was originally in the 12^th century a monastery. The Grey family of Wark were the owners of Chillingham from the 13^th century till the 1980s.

The building work of the castle was commenced in 1344 by Sir Thomas de Heton. Battlements were to be built, upgrading Chillingham to be a fully fortified castle.

 King Edward the 1^st stayed at Chillingham Castle when England and Scotland were at battle with one another. Edward was on his way to battle William Wallace and his Scottish army.

The Castle was located on the map in Northumberland between England and Scotland who were two nations that were having a battle.

English armies used the castle as a staging post before entering Scotland. And the castle was attacked many times by the Scottish that were heading south.

Chillingham has had amazing history from the battle between these two nations, blood was lost, and lives were lost here. Knowing the amount of people that were killed here it’s no surprise that the castle is a very haunted place and one of the most haunted castles in England.

Once the English and Scottish feud was over, the first king of England and Scotland James the 1^st used Chillingham Castle between journeys of his two kingdoms.

Chillingham castle was starting to transform. The battlements were changed into residential wings. A library and banquet hall were built, and the moat outside was filled.

The castle was used as army barracks during World War II.

Throughout this time, the castle looked like it could never be repaired, the wood had been stripped out, and lead was removed off the roof which gave the castle really bad weather damage over major parts of Chillingham Castle.

Sir Humphrey Wakefield bought chillingham castle in the 1980s. His wife was one of the descendents of the Grey of Chillingham.

Berry Pomeroy Castle

THIS IS NOT A FULLY DATED TIMELINE. JUST KEY POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF BERRY POMEROY CASTLE.

King of England William the conqueror presented Ralph de pomeroy the castle, which was constructed in the 13^th century.  But the castle wasn’t built till the late 15^th century. William presented him the castle for his support and loyalty he shown during the Norman invasion of England.

Ralph de pomeroy is now in the doomsday book.

For nearly 500 years Berry Pomeroy Castle was home for the pomeroy family after the Norman Conquest.

The Pomeroys were a very powerful family.

Henry de Pomeroy was a great supporter of King John lackland due to his rebellion with Richard the 1^st. He ended up leaving Berry Castle and escaped forfeiture because he ended up killing himself.

One of Henrys grandsons was a follower of Simon de Montfort in the baron’s war.

Thomas pomeroy was involved in a religious rebellion in 1549. The lands were forfeited due to this.

Sir Edward Seymour bought Berry Pomeroy Castle, then went on and built a mansion inside the walls of Norman castle. Sir Edward Seymour was the brother of Jane Seymour which was the 3^rd wife of Henry the 8^th.

It was Edward Seymour who created the architectural styles that can be seen at the castle to this day. Sadly Sir Edward made a fair few enemies and was later executed in 1552 at the tower of London.

Until 1688 the castle still remained to the Seymour family. Ultimately the castle was abandoned.

In the 18^th century the castle was damaged by a fire.

Due to the dark history of Berry Pomeroy Castle no one has wanted to live in the castle since.

This castle now had been reported to being one of the most haunted castles in the UK.

Darlington Civic Theatre

                      

THIS IS NOT A FULLY DATED TIMELINE. JUST KEY POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE THEATRE.

Over 100 years ago for the first time Darlington Civic Theatre opened its front doors on Monday 2^nd of September 1907, under the leadership of managing director Signor Rino Pepi, an Italian ex patriot. For over a 100years it’s been a popular theatre and had many famous names perform here including, Tommy Cooper, Dame Vera Lynn, the chuckle brothers and Anna Pavlova. And to this day the theatre still attracts the biggest names.

Signor Rino Pepi was born in 1872 in Florence, Italy. When Signor Pepi was in his early twenties he was renowned across all of Europe. Even queen Victoria liked Pepi that much she gave him her very own diamond scarf pin.

It took Signor Rino Pepi only seven months to complete the theatre and he named it the NEW HIPPODROME AND PALACE THEATRE OF VARIETIES.

Signor Pepi was married to Mary, countess de Rossetti. They also had a dog together a Pekinese.

 But Mary passed away on December the 7^th 1915. She was only 46 years old.

Many people say that Pepi and Mary made an exotic and wonderful couple.

Once their dog had passed away Signor Pepi had the dog buried inside the walls of the hippodrome.

Signor Rino Pepi biggest achievement was having Anna Pavlova perform ‘’the swan’’ at the hippodrome. Signor Pepi really liked Anna so he was honoured and he felt it was his huge achievement.  But poor signor Pepi had cancer on his left lung and sadly the day that Anna Pavlova performed he passed away at home on the 17^th of November 1927. He was 55years old.

Once Signor Rino Pepi passed away after 20 long and happy years and not to mention hard work with the theatre, there were many new managers, but all of them seemed to struggle with the theatres books. In 1966 Darlington borough council received full responsibility of the theatre. The NEW HIPPODROME AND PALACE OF VARIETIES was then named DARLINGTON CIVIC THEATRE.

Raby castle

                                                       

THIS IS NOT A FULLY DATED TIMELINE, JUST KEY POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF RABY CASTLE.

The nevilles family built Raby Castle in the 14^th century.

The family were one of the most powerful families in England while they owned Raby Castle.

It’s been said that Charles Neville wasn’t sure if they should continue with the plot of the ‘rising of the north’. The story behind this is that Charles wife came into the room and supposed to have shouted that the men wouldn’t fight for what they thought was right and called them all cowards for not thinking of their faiths. The nevilles had the ownership of Raby until 1569. Raby castle was forfeited to crown due to the failed rising of the north, following nevills support. 

On five different occasions Raby Castle was attacked during the Civil War by Royal forces.

Sir Henry Vane the Elder, the Treasurer to Charles the 1^st bought Raby Castle in 1626. The descendents of the Vanes still live at the castle to this day.

Sir Henry Vane only bought raby castle for the value of the estate. He didn’t really think much of Raby at all. He used to call it ‘a mere hullock of stone’.

He decided to make Raby his home and he started repairing the castle.

Sir Henry the Elder was executed in 1649.

Sir Henry Vane the younger was sentenced to death by Charles the 2^nd with the charge of treason (disloyalty and betrayal) in 1662.

In 1698 Sir Christopher Vane was forced by courts to pay for repair work on Raby castle because in a fit of rage, he caused a lot of damage and took many things including lead, doors, iron and much more because his son Gilbert married a woman that his father didn’t approve of. In 1754 the Earl of Darlington made the most amazing changes to the south and west parts of the castle.

In the end of the 18^th century the moat was drained.

In 1833 William Henry the 3^rd Earl was made the Duke of Cleveland for his political services.

Lord Barnard is the descendent of the nevilles family. Lord Barnard to this day lives at raby castle. He once served in the R.A.F.I as a flying officer from 1942 till 1946. He was also a lord lieutenant in 1970 till 1988.

In the year of 1952 lord Barnard married the daughter of the 6^th marquess of Exter, Lady Davina Cecil. Together they have raised five children together.

The Tower Of London

THIS IS NOT A FULLY DATED TIME LINE, JUST KEYPOINTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWER OF LONDON.

The tower of London is a huge magnificent place. William the conqueror built the tower in 1078.

In 1100, the bishop of Durham ranulf flambard was the first ever prisoner in the tower of London. But a year later ranulf flambard escapes.

In 1210 king john decides to live in the tower. It’s been said for centuries now that in 1216 king john lost the crown jewels.

1216- Henry 3^rd was crowned king at the aged of ten.

1236 and 1238 Henry 3^rd hid in the tower for his safety from the barons.

Welsh prince gruffydd was sent to prison inside the tower in 1241. But in 1244 prine gruffydd tried to escape the tower and ended up killing himself.

Henry 3^rd had the first elephant ever seen in England in 1255. He was given the elephant by king Louis of France.

Edward 1^st resumed building work for the towers.

In 1303 the crown jewels were moved to the tower as a safer place than west minister abbey.

The barons had a rebellion going on against Edward the 2^nd. Roger Mortimer helped lead the barons. Then he was later imprisoned. He escaped from the tower and got to France with the wife of King Edward the 2^nd. Isabella (Queen of England).

Rulers of England roger and Isabella are thought to have ordered the death of Edward 2^nd.

King of England Edward 3^rd imprisoned and ordered the death of roger Mortimer in 1330.

In the summer of 1349, a bubanic plague, also referred to as the Black Death, the Black Death killed off between one 3^rd and one half of the population of England. One of Edwards’s daughters was killed by the plague.

1381- Wat Tyler and john ball paved the way for peasant revolt. Later on that year wat Tyler was killed but john ball experienced a more grisly death. He was hung, drawn and quartered.

In 1478 Edward the 4^th s brother was killed for treason.

The chapel of st peter ad vincula was sadly burned down in 1512 but in 1515 was later rebuilt.

1509- Henry the 8^th married Katherine of Aragon. Katherine married henrys brother Arthur first but he died at the age of 15. Henry divorced Katherine in 1533.

Henry the 8^th second wife Anne Boleyn was taken to the tower and charged with adultery, incest and treason in 1536. She was later killed on the tower hill.

Eleven days later Henry married Anne of Cleves. Thomas Cromwell was imprisoned in the tower because of their failed marriage and later executed.

In July of 1540 Henry married Catherine Howard aged 19. Two years later she was beheaded for adultery.

Five months after Catherine Howard’s death, Henry married Katherine Parr.

1547- Henry the 8^th dies of breathing problems.

1548- Thomas Seymour was sent to prison in the tower and then executed.

For nine days Lady Jane grey was the Queen of England.

Queen Mary locked up her sister in the tower basically of jealously of her prettier sister. Elizabeth was locked in the tower of 8weeks.

1585- 8^th earl of Northumberland Henry Percy died inside the tower. He had been shot.

The poet sir Thomas Overbury was poisoned inside the tower in 1613.

In 1666 the tower escaped being burnt out by the great fire of London.

During the First World War a bomb landed into the moat around the tower of London. And eleven German spies were found out and shot inside the tower.

During the Second World War the towers of London was damaged by bombs.

Today the tower of London is a museum to the public.

Walworth castle

THIS IS NOT A FULLY DATED TIME LINE, JUST KEY POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CASTE.

Walworth castle, the estate and the planned village were developed nearing 1150AD by the Hansard family. The family were later named as the ‘handsome hansards’. Their ancient estate is around 1100 acres and is one of the townships of parish of Heighington.

Walworth castle was possibly built in 1189.

In the summer of 1349, a bubanic plague also referred to as the Black Death. Brown rats are known to bring the disease. The Black Death killed off between one third and one half of the population of England. Once the Black Death was no more the manor of Walworth castle was in the hands of others. In 1367 Ralph Neville was granted the manor of Walworth.

In 1391, the 9^th lord of the manor Robert Hansard reclaimed the castle and gave it to his 14year old son, Richard Hansard who was later knighted.

11^th lord of the manor Richard Hansard, the son of sir Richard hansard died in 1466, the estate of Walworth castle was then passed on to his grandson 13^th in line Richard. Richard was 9 years old when he took control. He died in 1508.

In 1508, 14^th in line, and the richest of the Hansard family, Sir William Hansard inherited the estate.

Son of Sir William Hansard, William aged 19 and 15^th in line of the manor inherited Walworth castle in 1520. William married when he was just 15years old, but he died in 1521, so 16^th in line of the manor Elizabeth Hansard was given her father’s estate.

In 1539 Elizabeth Hansard married Sir Francis Ayscough. Elizabeth and Francis had a son together in 1542 and named him William Ayscough. His mother died in 1558 and his father died in 1563. William then went on to inherit Walworth caste and estate as 17^th in line.

William Ayscough married the daughter of earl of Lincoln. They went on and had no children together. So in 1579 they sold Walworth caste and the estate to Thomas Jenison.

Auditor general for Ireland Thomas Jenison married Elizabeth Birch the daughter of an official in the royal household of King Henry the VIII. Thomas continued to work in Ireland. He died in 1586.

Elizabeth Jenison died in 1605. William Jenison inherited the estate, but was sent to prison for refusing to take oath of allegiance to the crown of being Roman Catholic in 1610 and 1612. This caused a lot of suffering to his family and dilapiclation to Walworth castle.

William Jenison died in 1634 and the first John Jenison inherited Walworth castle.

Ralph Jenison bought all of Walworth castle estate in 1687. In 1689 Walworth castle was searched for arms to prevent rebellion against King William and Queen Mary.

Ralph Jenison was passed the Walworth castle estate in 1704. He was 10years old. In 1727 and 1734 Ralph was a member of parliament for Northumberland. Ralph Jenison died in 1759. His widow had to sell Walworth castle because of debts.

Mathew Stephenson a wine merchant from Newcastle upon Tyne bought Walworth castle in 1759, but then went on and sold the castle to john Harrison, also a merchant from Newcastle upon Tyne in 1775.

Ann Stephenson inherited Walworth castle from her father when he died in 1819. Ann went and married General Arthur Aylmer, who was also lieutenant general of the Durham light infantry in 1825. General Arthur died in 1831.

1831 John Harrison Aylmer had re-roofed the castle and he decorated two towers with pillar capped with balls reminiscent of solider statues. However tragedy struck john Harrison Aylmer, his wife Rosanna and their 18year old son on august 20^th when they were killed in the Abergele railway accident. There were 33 victims.

Vivian Aylmer aged 12 and Edmund Aylmer aged 9 became the owners of Walworth castle in 1868. Vivian was a high sheriff of Durham in 1887. Vivian was the only known survivor of the first party to explore Somaliland. He died in 1931 and was buried in Caerleon. When his brother Edmund Aylmer passed away later he was buried right beside him.

During the Second World War, Walworth castle let the Durham light infantry use it as a high ranking Italian and German officers.

Walworth castle was sold to Durham county council in 1950. Durham council then went on to turn the castle into a residential school for girls.

Darlington borough council sold Walworth castle in 1981 to john and Jennifer Wayne who then opened it up in the summer as a hotel.