Why was your site created and how has it changed over time?

Use physical
features of the site as well as your own knowledge to support your answer.
(20 marks)

Framlingham Castle was built by the Bigod family, who lived in the castle until 1312,
when it was passed on to Thomas Brotherton, half-brother of Edward II, due to the
Bigods’ massive debt to Edward I. Today, Framlingham Castle is owned by English
Heritage – and is a major visitor attraction in the county of Suffolk. My essay will
touch on some evidence that shows why Framlingham Castle was created and how
its physical features have changed over time. I have chosen to write about four
changes that took place:
● Early construction of Framlingham Castle (wooden and stone)
● Roger Bigod IV’s expensive changes
● Construction of the Red House
● Transfer of ownership to English Heritage

In 1101, Roger Bigod I was granted the Manor of Framlingham. He then built a
wooden fortress on site probably somewhere between 1101 – 1107. After the
Norman Conquest the Normans fought to have their control over the Anglo Saxons.
So, Framlingham Castle may have been built as a method of intimidation. In 1154,
Hugh Bigod I (one of Roger Bigod’s descendants) replaced the wooden fortress with
some of the first stone buildings in England. The Castle had many natural features
that consisted of a natural spur, meaning that there was a view over all of the locals
and it was surrounded by ditches, which may have been used for defence. Adding to
the natural features, Hugh introduced many physical features including a portcullis;
drawbridge; battlements and arrow slits. These physical features can still be seen
today, other than the portcullis, which was removed, for safety reasons, once the
Castle was handed to English Heritage in 1984 and it became a tourist attraction site.
The only part of the portcullis that is left now is the marking on the side of the wall
where it locked in place. In 1173, when Hugh Bigod was defeated in a rebellion
against Henry II, Framlingham’s defensive walls were torn down, meaning that in
1189, Roger Bigod II had to rebuild the castle’s walls.

Another major period of change for the castle came in 1270 when Roger Bigod IV
inherited Framlingham and was named the 4th Earl of Norfolk and Marshall of
England. During his ownership of Framlingham, Roger IV carried out many expensive
building works such as new lodgings and re-roofing the knights lodgings. He also
added new towers and a great daily cowshed. These features are still at Framlingham
today and are part of the tourist display. Roger Bigod IV was forced to leave
Framlingham in his will to the king due to his massive debts and bankruptcy. So,
when Roger IV died in 1306 the castle was left to the royals, leading to the castle
being given to Thomas Brotherton. In 1572, Howard the 4th is executed because of his
part in the plot against Elizabeth the 1st, meaning that Framlingham was forfeited to
the crown. This led to the Castle being named as a state of great decay in 1589.
In 1600 the Castle was turned into a prison after anti-catholic laws were put in place
by the Queen. At this point, the Castle’s layout would have changed so that it could
hold up to 40 inmates. Using my own knowledge, I know that the Castle was returned
to the Howard family by James 1st and its original state in 1603.

Around thirty years later, in 1635, Framlingham Castle was sold to a lawyer called Sir
Robert Hitcham, who left the Castle in his will to Pembroke College, Cambridge, on
the condition that it was used to help the poor. In 1664 the Red House was built to
shelter the poor and provide isolation wards for any plague victims. In 1729 a larger
workhouse was built on the site of the Castle’s old medieval hall. Using my own
knowledge, I know that in 1839 the Poor Amendment Act, which introduced the
union system, meant that Framlingham’s poor were sent to Wickham Market, a union
workhouse. After this, the Castle became a parish resource and was used as a hall,
lock-up and stocks.

In 1913, Pembroke College donated Framlingham Castle to the Office of Works, a

government department that oversaw building maintenance work. In 1984 the Castle
passed on to English Heritage and became a tourist attraction. This meant further
changes for the castle, including the introduction of a café, a souvenir shop and a
museum for local history. To this day, Framlingham Castle is a listed tourist attraction
site, still owned by English Heritage and run by Framlingham College. Each year a
total of around 100,000 people visit Framlingham Castle.

Overall, I think that the most significant change in physical features happened when
Framlingham Castle became a stone building instead of a wooden fortress. This
change lead to all the other changes that occurred after. Being made of stone meant
that the Castle was stronger, enabling the Castle to still be here to this day. I think it is
probably difficult for historians to understand the different changes that happened
because some sources may be unreliable. There was various owners meaning that
some owners may not have documented the changes they made.