uk treasurehouses

75. Tattershall Castle


This property is a must visit. It is located on Sleaford Road in Tattershall, Lincolnshire. Like other Treasure House properties it was also bought and restored by Lord George Curzon and then left to the National Trust in his Will.

It was built in the 1440’s by Ralph Cromwell Lord Treasurer of England. There are 150 steps up from the basement to the battlements. Audio tours are available to allow you to recreate life there in the 15th Century. There are splendid fields, moats and surroundings to explore.

The particularly unique aspect to this property is that it is a glaring example of what this Blog , and Lord George Curzon tried to prevent.

It was bought by an American salvage syndicate in 1911 for demolishing and aftermarket sale. They tore out its magnificent fireplaces to be shipped to the US for sale, the very same fireplaces that had been used a century before as the models for the fireplaces built, installed and still there to see in the Palace of Westminster (British Parliament Buildings) in London.

Lord Curzon heard of the sacrilege and went in 1911 to the company and bought the property back from them. He then went about trying to locate the items that had been ripped out and sent away. He had all the docks watched to prevent it from being shipped overseas. He found the precious fireplaces on the Tibury Docks in London, just about to be shipped. He raised 5,155 pounds to boy them back. He returned them to Tattershall and had the Castle completely restored to its glory days, which you can see today. He opened it to the public on August 8, 1914, and upon his death in 1925 he bequeathed the property to the National Trust. We owe a lot indeed to Lord George Curzon, 1st Marquis Curzon of Kedleston.

To get there it is on the south side of A153, 15 miles NE of Sleaford, 10 miles SW of Homecastle, and SE of Lincoln or NW of Nottingham.

You can reach them at: phone: 01526342543 or tattershallcastle@nationaltrust.org.uk. It is open from March 14 to Nov. 9, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 11A.M. – 4 P.M. A must see!!