Tattershall Castle: Pioneering building may have inspired Hampton Court

Archaeological research has suggested a castle owned by the National Trust is older than previously thought.

The work suggests Tattershall Castle, in Lincolnshire, was a pioneering design which inspired places such as Hampton Court Palace.

The research was carried out by the University of Nottingham with the National Trust, led by buildings archaeologist James Wright.

Dr Wright said the castle was a "melting pot of ideas".

The study used modern archaeological techniques and research which found the castle was at least 15 years older than thought.

Tattershall Castle was built in the 15th Century for Lord Ralph Cromwell, treasurer to Henry VI, and was designed to display wealth, position, and power.

The trust said the new dating had shattered previous assumptions about the castle's age and use, showing crucially, that Tattershall had influenced buildings such as Eton College, rather than being influenced by them.

It said its design had gone on to inspire an entire style of English architecture which later included Oxburgh Hall and Hampton Court Palace.

Dr Wright's four-year study was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in partnership with the university and the trust.

His research revealed buildings formerly thought to be kitchens and stables were, in fact, designed as rooms for guests.

It also identified a formal garden, based on the ideal of medieval garden design.

He said: "Tattershall's great tower contains many unique design features.

"Even the decision to build something on this scale in brick, a relatively new material to England, was very unusual at this period.

"Tattershall Castle was therefore a melting pot of ideas.

"As Lord Treasurer of England to Henry VI, Cromwell's close relationships with royal officials seem to have included conversations about his building project.

"Those discussions set in motion a culture of imitation across the country, going on to inform the design of buildings for up to 200 years - an unprecedented length of time."

Tom Dommett, head of historic environment at the National Trust said: "James has had the opportunity to completely reassess Tattershall Castle and what we thought we knew about it.

"In so doing his exciting discoveries are literally rewriting the story of the building, how it was used and its influence on the architecture that followed."

Victoria Mason Hines, property operations manager at the castle added: "James's research has brought the castle into the limelight."

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