Rockingham Castle

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Rockingham Castle is a private castle near Corby, Northamptonshire, England. It sits on high ground in Rockingham Forest with views over the Welland Valley.

History in brief
- The site was used for centuries and William the Conqueror built a wooden castle there in the 11th century. Within about 30 years it became a stone castle with a keep on a large mound and an outer wall.
- It was a royal retreat during the Norman and medieval periods, and hunting in Rockingham Forest was popular.
- In 1095 a church and state council met at the castle to talk about episcopal appointments but did not resolve the issue.
- In 1270 Henry III added a twin D-tower gatehouse. Edward III was the last king to visit while the Crown owned it. By the late 1400s the castle had fallen into disrepair.
- The Watson family leased and then owned Rockingham Castle. Parts were replaced with a Tudor house and gardens, and it became a hunting lodge.
- During the English Civil War in the 1640s, Royalist forces held the castle but Parliamentarian forces captured it in 1643 and the walls were damaged in 1646.
- From the 17th to 19th centuries the estate stayed with the Watson family and passed through several lines. In 1925 Sir Michael Culme-Seymour inherited it, and in 1967 it passed to Commander Michael Saunders Watson. Today the Saunders-Watson family owns it, led by James Saunders Watson, who runs events and private rentals that fund the castle. He was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 2018/19 and Lord-Lieutenant in 2020.

Architecture and grounds
- The gatehouse is strong for its period and features two large D-towers on the east side. The castle has a rectangular plan with a central passage and thick stone walls surrounding several halls and rooms.
- The grounds include a cricket pitch and are used for events.

Current status
- Rockingham Castle remains a private home but is open to the public for events and on certain days. It has historic ties to Charles Dickens, who visited, and is said to have inspired Chesney Wold in Bleak House. It has also appeared in TV and film, such as By the Sword Divided and Top Secret!.