Greystoke Castle is in the village of Greystoke 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of Penrith in the county of Cumbria in northern England. (grid referenceNY435309). It is owned by the Howard family and is a private residence including a castle and family estate with no public access.
Details
In 1069, after the Norman conquest the English landlord Ligulf de Greystoke was re-granted his land and he built a wooden tower surrounded by a pale (or pele). The first stone structure on the site was built in 1129 by Ivo, his grandson. The building grew to become a large pele tower and in the 14th century after William de Greystoke obtained a royal licence to castellate it,[1] the castle was further enlarged.
The castle was enlarged and altered in 1789. Then between 1838 and 1848, the castle was rebuilt to a design by Anthony Salvin, incorporating the older structures including the pele tower, and the estates were developed by Charles Howard into a modern farm. In 1868 the house caught fire and many treasures and works of art were lost. However, the castle was rebuilt under Henry Howard, again by Salvin.
During the Second World War, the army requisitioned the castle and estate as a tank drivers' training area. The castle itself became a prisoner of war camp. Consequently, much damage was done to the building and the estate during this period. In 1950 Stafford Howard, the son of Sir Edward Stafford Howard, inherited the estate and began a further restoration period. It is now managed by his son, Neville.
