Astley Castle

About the Day
Found myself with two weeks off work starting today. It's what the doctor ordered. Literally. With a recommendation I take some walks no less.

About the Blip
After sorting a few things out in consequence, around 4ish, I nipped out to Astley village. Astley village has some premier league historic properties, though the last time I was here, probably ten years ago, only the church was accessible. Today its locked, though a notice informs visitors that it opens for a few hours on the first Saturday of every month. Fortunately, the 'loss' of the church is rewarded with bells on.

In the intervening decade the Landmark Trust has got hold of the castle, and together with what was its surrounding scrub and wasteland, has dramatically improved the castle and environs. Gone are the 'Keep Out' and 'Danger' signs.

About the Castle
Prior to the conquest, in the reign of Edward the Confessor, this part of Warwickshire was held by Alsi. Following the conquest, by when the Domesday Book was drawn up, it was known as 'Estlega', and held by Robert de Beaumont, (1049-1118) created Earl of Leicester in 1107. Robert, aged 17, had fought at the Battle of Hastings. His service at the battle earned him about one hundred manors confiscated from the defeated English, of which Eastlega was but one.

A year after the death of the Conqueror, Robert's lands in Warwickshire passed to his younger brother, Henry. Yet Robert was still alive. The reason for this appears to be connected to Henry's leading role in the supression of a rebellion in 1088. The Conqueror, though the King of England, was nevertheless a frenchie, and first and foremost, The Duke of Normandy. So his first son, Robert Curthose the troublesome one, inherited Normandy, while his second, William Rufus, got the Kingdom of England, becoming William II. This created difficulties for the knights and princes who held lands either side of the channel. It boiled over in the Easter of 1088. The 1088 rebellion was crushed with assistance from Henry de Beamont. Henry's reward was to be made Earl of Warwick, the first of that line. His new territories were cobbled together from his elder brother's Warwickshire holdings, evidently without the two brothers falling out. Both brothers were hunting with William II when he was accidentally killed by a stray arrow, and both brothers steadfastly supported Rufus' brother on his succession as Henry I in 1100.

By the turn of the twelfth century the land at Astley was held by Philip de Estlega from the Earl of Warwick. I could go on with what is a cracking historic tale, but for those still awake and interested, the Landmark Trust pick up the tale.