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| Ashby La Zouche Castle, in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leichestershire, originally a Norman fortified manor built in the 1100's by Alan de Parrhoet, Lord le Zouche from Breton, France, first Baron of Ashley, Earl of Brittany. He obtained Ashby through his marriage to Adeline de Belmeis, and changed its name to Ashby-la-Zouche, and the manor house was built. It passed onto his descendants, including my 17th great grandmother Joyce la Zouche de Mortimer, Baroness Botetourt until the La Zouche line died out in the 1300's. One of the last owners, James Butler, 5th Earl of Ormonde was executed at the Battle of Towton, then King Edward IV gave it to William Lord of Hastings, who extended and improved the castle starting in 1474. Royal visitors over the years include Mary Stuart while in captivity in 1569, and Henry VII, James I and Charles I in 1645. The castle became a Royalist stronghold under Henry Hastings and severely damaged during the Civil War, the great hall rebuilt between the 14th and 17th centuries. The castle became famous after Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe in 1819.
The castle is in ruins, but the tower has 98 steps to the top, and the view is worth every step, even with a broken foot, not to mention the sensation of history. My feet stepped where my great grandmother's did. There is a tunnel that leads from the basement kitchens to near the bottom of the tower and great hall. It is still open, quite close quarters and is best seen with a torch. |
Start your tour by clicking the thumbnails below
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| Trip Pictures |
| Travel Journal |
| The Travels of Anne and David |
| Packrat Productions |
