Tiverton Castle History

When Henry I came to the throne in 1100 it is said he had nightmares that the Three Estates of the Realm were combining against him; so he granted land to some of his followers for the building of protective castles, and Richard de Redvers built the first Castle at Tiverton, a wooden motte and bailey castle further north of the current building. It was in a strong position above the Exe, and dominated the crossing of the river which formed a natural defense to the West.

The early Castle was probably finished in 1106.

It was held by seven successive Earls of the de Redvers family until 1262 when the direct male line became extinct. Isabella de Fortibus, sister of the last Earl, assumed the title of Countess of Devon. She died in 1293, having outlived all her children, and her heir was a cousin, Hugh de Courtenay, who in 1335 inherited the title of Earl of Devon, counting from 1293.

He was probably responsible for rebuilding in stone - curtain walls enclosed an inner rectangular court of about an acre in extent, and towers were added at the comers.

The Castle was held by the Courtenays for some 260 years, but with more than one temporary alienation to the Crown, due to the unsettled state of public affairs at the time. During the Wars of the Roses three successive Earls of Devon lost their lives. After the Battle of Bosworth Henry VII reinstated Sir Edward Courtenay as Earl.

In about 1495 his son. William, married Princess Katherine Plantagenet, daughter of Edward IV and sister of the Princes in the Tower and of Henry VII's queen. The Princess described herself as "daughter, sister and aunt of kings'". She died in 1527, and is buried in St. Peter's Church next door.

Katherine's son. Henry, for a time stood high in the favour of his cousin. Henry VIII, but he incurred the King's anger and suspicion, and he was beheaded in 1538.

His son, Edward, although only 13, was imprisoned for 14 years in the Tower of London, and was not released till Queen Mary ascended the throne. She gave him back his title and lands, and hinted at marriage, but rashly he showed his preference for her sister, Elizabeth. He was again imprisoned for a short time in the Tower, and on his release he travelled abroad, dying in 1556 in Padua of fever.

Here the Courtenays' ownership of the Castle ended.

In the late 16th Century Roger Giffard of Brightly bought or took a lease on the Castle. He was a handsome, charming man and married in succession three rich widows. He rebuilt part of the Castle to comply with the growing desire for more comfortable living

His family still owned the Castle during the English Civil War when it was held for the King and regarded by both sides as a place of great strategic importance. In October 1645 General Sir Thomas Fairfax besieged the Castle, and although strongly defended, it fell to him due to a lucky shot hitting a drawbridge chain.

After the Restoration of King Charles II a local merchant, Peter West, bought the Castle and built himself a new wing within the main court. His daughter, Dorothy, married Sir Thomas Carew in 1727, and the Carews owned the Castle until 1923, and it then had various changes of ownership.

In 1960 it was bought by Mr. and Mrs. Ivar Campbell who commenced major conservation work, which continues to this day under the ownership of his nephew, Angus Gordon.