It is obvious to most visitors to Kendal where the town's castle sits, so dominant is its position on a hill near the River Kent. Not so obvious is that there was another castle in Kendal which predated the current one.

This original Kendal Castle, a motte and bailey typical of the Norman style, was situated between what is now Gillinggate and Beast Banks, at Castle Howe. It is likely that this was near what was probably the principal settlement of Kirkland on that side of the river.

Confusion reigns as to the exact date of either Castle Howe or the newer Kendal Castle. It appears likely that they were built in the latter half of the twelfth century (Castle Howe) or thirteenth century (Kendal Castle). Christine Howard-Davies of the University of Lancaster states in Kendal Castle: A Guide: Historians and archaeologists think that work on the defences was started at some time after 1183, but before 1241, probably by Gilbert Fitz Reinfred, Baron of Kendal'.

There are references to a castle dating from around 1190, but confusingly the first undisputed reference to a castle in Kendal in 1214 (when Henry III returned a castle in the town to Gilbert Fitz Reinfred's son, William de Lancaster) could possibly refer to the Castle Howe fortress!

It is known that in about 1092 William Rufus and his army assaulted the Kendal area in the final stages of the Norman Conquest, resulting in the Barony of Kendal falling into the hands of one of William's henchmen, Ivo de Taillebois. Eventually the Barony fell to the aforementioned Fitz Reinfred (also known as Fitzhenfried or FitzReinford).

As for Castle Howe's fate, Arthur Nicholls says in his book Explore Kendal that it was likely to have been burnt down during a raid by the Scots in 1210. The site is now home to an obelisk, built in 1788, commemorating the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

MORE ABOUT KENDAL CASTLE...

Made of limestone and slate, the castle sits atop a mound-like hill known as a drumlin, a mass of gravel and clay left by a glacier in the last Ice Age. It is in a commanding position above Kendal, with views in all directions.

Kendal Castle had six towers and 14 feet high outer walls, though these have now all suffered from the ravages of time. Parts of the walls and towers remain (and there is an impressive vaulted undercroft) and there are recently installed interpretation boards describing the Manor Hall, Courtyard and the North-West Tower, or Troutbeck Tower as it is also called. This tower is now accessible via steps, thanks in great part to the efforts of the Friends of Kendal Castle.

There is no evidence to suggest that the ditch which surrounds the castle was ever filled with water, so Kendal Castle was moat-less.

THE MOST FAMOUS INHABITANT...

Kendal Castle has passed through the hands of many families since its construction, but none more famous than the Parrs. The fame of the name is due largely to Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII.

Born in 1512, Katherine was an intelligent attractive figure who, it is believed, became married at the age of 11 or 12 to an ageing noble called Edward, Lord Borough of Gainsborough. The marriage only lasted until 1529, but the widowed Katherine came into estates in the East Midlands and her wealth and status increased.

Katherine married again in 1532, to John Nevill, Lord Latimer of Snape Hall, but not long after he died Katherine fulfilled her destiny by marrying the King in 1543. Katherine was a published writer, unusual for a woman at the time, and was a convert to the Protestant faith.

After Henry died in 1547, Katherine eventually married again (to Thomas Seymour), but died of fever in 1549, aged 37.

AFTER THE PARRS...

By the time the last of the Parr family had ownership of Kendal Castle in the sixteenth century, the building was in a dilapidated state.

Queen Elizabeth granted ownership of the castle in 1581 to the Earl of Warwick and from then onwards, through a succession of owners, the castle simply disintegrated. There is no evidence that it was one of the ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit'.

In 1761 poet and lover of the picturesque Thomas Gray, on a visit to the Lake District, said of the castle: Almost the whole inclosure wall remains with four towers, their upper parts demolished'.

In the nineteenth century one owner strengthened the foundations and planted trees which hid the ruins, but by the end of the Victoria's reign, the castle was in the hands of Kendal Corporation. It was 1897 that saw the purchase of the estate by the local authority and its opening to the public in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

THE CASTLE NOW...

Kendal is very fortunate to have an organisation called The Friends of Kendal Castle that has played a large part in making improvements to the site, including the installation of steps to the North-West Tower and interpretation boards so that visitors can get a better understanding of the castle.

Visitors from around the world now come and enjoy the site complete with its beacon, panoramic views and free access. Local people flock in their thousands to the annual firework display for which the castle provides a dramatic backdrop. In its long history it probably never encountered anything quite so explosive.

RELEVANT INFORMATION...

Kendal Castle at Kendal Museum...

There is a fascinating display about the castle at the Museum on Station Road, telling the story of the castle in greater detail. Amongst other artefacts, you will be able to see the original key!

Relevant Websites...

www.kendalmuseum.org.uk.

www.pan360.co.uk (Offers a panoramic 360 degree view of the castle).

tx.essortment.com (Information on Katherine Parr).

www.lakes-pages.co.uk (More information on the Castle and the Friends of Kendal Castle).

For Kendal Civic Society, see Communigate.

(Links below).

BILIOGRAPHY...

Kendal: A Social History Roger K. Bingham, Cicerone, 1995.

A Short History of Kendal M.A. Gordon, 1957.

Kirkbie-Kendall J.F. Curwen, 1900.

Explore Kendal Arthur R. Nicholls, Westmorland Gazette, 1996.

Kendal Castle: A Guide Christine Howard-Davis, LUAU, 2000.