Pinned on Places

We wanted to share our explore at Suffolk’s famous ‘Castle on the Hill’ surrounded by park land and Estates. It was once the centre of a vast network of power and influence for over 400 years with the Earls and Dukes of Norfolk, the Supreme Moguls in East Anglia. The castle was also the setting for a crucial moment in English History, the crowning of Mary Tudor as the first queen of England in July of 1553.

The population of Framlingham in Suffolk Rose sharply after the Norman invasion of England as the village turned into a small town of at least 600 inhabitants surrounded by valuable lands in one of the most prosperous parts of the country the region was owned by the powerful Earl of Chester who granted it in turn to Roger Bard the sheriff of Suffolk and one of the most influential people at the court of the Plantagenet Kings.

By the late 12th century, the Bigod family had come to dominate Suffolk holding the title of the Earl of Norfolk and owning Framlingham and three other major castles at Bungay and Thetford. The first set of stone buildings including the first hall were built within the castle during the 1160s. Work was conducted relatively quickly and the castle was complete by 1213. The newly built castle comprised of the inner court, which was defended with 13 mural Towers, an adjacent lower court with smaller stone walls and towers, and a larger Bailey with Timber defences.

The main attraction of the castle today is the dramatic battlement walk you can walk around the entire circuit of outer walls, crossing each of the 13 towers. Each point of the wall walk boasts amazing views across the Suffolk Countryside, it’s a really atmospheric and interesting experience and although there’s lots to see from the top of the castle walls, nowadays there isn’t much to see inside of them most of the internal medieval buildings have since disappeared after they fell into disrepair.

The walls are the most complete part of the castle to survive but there’s still some evidence of the old buildings inside the inner court. We found the foundations of the old kitchen as well as the site of the chapel with indentations to show where the other Chambers would have once stood along the way.

The workhouse is now your first Port of Call. Before you get to experience the castle itself, it’s inside this building that you’ll be able to enjoy a drink and a cake at the castle café or grab your admission tickets, check out the English Heritage shop and their second-hand Bookshop.

You can also have a chat with the most friendliest volunteers who ooze passion about the castle and Tudor life as well as experiencing the onsite exhibition which will deliver stories on those who lived and worked in the castle. For anyone who loves history there really is plenty to explore and discover here from the first English woman to be made a duchess in her own right to a baron who helped Force King John to sign the Magna Carta.

The castle has also had its claim to fame because of musician Ed Sheeran who was brought up in the town of Framlingham and still lives nearby he brought out his hit song ‘Castle on the Hill’ from the song of the same name on his 2017 album, divide. This song is actually inspired and about Framlingham Castle, it features right at the end of the video for the song, and in interviews Ed has retold on visiting the castle as a child.

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Till Next Time!