Saltwood Castle Timeline
* Built on a Roman site.
488: First built by Aesc, son of Hengist.
833: Recorded in a charter.
1026: Charter shows it was granted to Canterbury Cathedral by King Canute.
1066: Held for a short while by Odo, Bishop of Bayeux.
1072: Returned to Canterbury Cathedral by the Count of Pendenheath.
1080: Held by Hugo de Montfort. Repairs carried out.
* The Earl of Montfort’s family lost the castle when opposing Henry I and it passed to the d’Essex family.
1100-1135: During: Robert de Montfort was exiled and the castle went to the Crown. It was granted to Henry de Essex, Baron of Raleigh, Constable of England and the King’s Standard Bearer.
488: First built by Aesc, son of Hengist.
833: Recorded in a charter.
1026: Charter shows it was granted to Canterbury Cathedral by King Canute.
1066: Held for a short while by Odo, Bishop of Bayeux.
1072: Returned to Canterbury Cathedral by the Count of Pendenheath.
1080: Held by Hugo de Montfort. Repairs carried out.
* The Earl of Montfort’s family lost the castle when opposing Henry I and it passed to the d’Essex family.
1100-1135: During: Robert de Montfort was exiled and the castle went to the Crown. It was granted to Henry de Essex, Baron of Raleigh, Constable of England and the King’s Standard Bearer.
1160: Inner bailey and five towers built by Henry d’Essex, Constable of England and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
* Henry de Essex rebuilt the castle, but his lands were confiscated when his behaviour in Wales was not accepted by the King.
1154-1189: Thomas Becket gained control of the castle.
1164: Following Thomas Beckets arguments with Henry II, the castle passed back to Ranulf de Broc.
1170: Tradition: The four knights who killed Thomas Becket plotted his death in the Great Hall on December 28th.
* Following the death of Thomas Becket, Henry II retained and dismantled part of the castle.
1173-1174: Slighted when the walls were pulled down and the motte levelled.
1199: King John returned it to the See of Canterbury. It then became a Bishop’s Palace and had a Constable who looked after it.
1240: Outer bailey added.
* Henry de Essex rebuilt the castle, but his lands were confiscated when his behaviour in Wales was not accepted by the King.
1154-1189: Thomas Becket gained control of the castle.
1164: Following Thomas Beckets arguments with Henry II, the castle passed back to Ranulf de Broc.
1170: Tradition: The four knights who killed Thomas Becket plotted his death in the Great Hall on December 28th.
* Following the death of Thomas Becket, Henry II retained and dismantled part of the castle.
1173-1174: Slighted when the walls were pulled down and the motte levelled.
1199: King John returned it to the See of Canterbury. It then became a Bishop’s Palace and had a Constable who looked after it.
1240: Outer bailey added.
1326: Edward II stayed.
1380: Gatehouse, Hall and domestic buildings added.
1381: Archbishop Courtenay enlarged the castle and enclosed the park.
1382: Extensively remodelled by Archbishop William Courtney, including the eastern tower built into the barbican, two towers added to the inner curtain wall to the south and the outer curtain wall was added.
1389: Lollard, Lord William Thorpe escaped during an earthquake, where he had been kept a prisoner.
1390: William Courtney, Archbishop of Canterbury, enlarged the keep and added two watch towers and a twin cylinder gatehouse.
14th C: Late: Second building in inner bailey dates from and was used as the Archbishops audience chamber.
1417: Archbishop Chicheley lived at the castle.
1531: Archbishop Warham leased it to Sir Edward Nevil.
1380: Gatehouse, Hall and domestic buildings added.
1381: Archbishop Courtenay enlarged the castle and enclosed the park.
1382: Extensively remodelled by Archbishop William Courtney, including the eastern tower built into the barbican, two towers added to the inner curtain wall to the south and the outer curtain wall was added.
1389: Lollard, Lord William Thorpe escaped during an earthquake, where he had been kept a prisoner.
1390: William Courtney, Archbishop of Canterbury, enlarged the keep and added two watch towers and a twin cylinder gatehouse.
14th C: Late: Second building in inner bailey dates from and was used as the Archbishops audience chamber.
1417: Archbishop Chicheley lived at the castle.
1531: Archbishop Warham leased it to Sir Edward Nevil.
1540 c: Archbishop Cranmer was the last Archbishop to live at the castle. The castle, park and manor were granted to Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex.
1541: The castle, park and manor were again held by the Crown.
1547: Granted to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick.
1550 c: John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, conveyed them back to the Crown in exchange for other lands.
1551: Edward VI granted them to Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton.
1552: Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton, conveyed them back to the Crown.
1553: Queen Mary granted them back to Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton.
* Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton, conveyed them to Mr. Thomas Broadnax, of Hythe. He disparked the park.
* Mr. Thomas Broadnax conveyed it to Richard Monins.
1560: Richard Monins died and they were given to Mr. Reginald Knatchbull.
1541: The castle, park and manor were again held by the Crown.
1547: Granted to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick.
1550 c: John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, conveyed them back to the Crown in exchange for other lands.
1551: Edward VI granted them to Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton.
1552: Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton, conveyed them back to the Crown.
1553: Queen Mary granted them back to Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton.
* Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton, conveyed them to Mr. Thomas Broadnax, of Hythe. He disparked the park.
* Mr. Thomas Broadnax conveyed it to Richard Monins.
1560: Richard Monins died and they were given to Mr. Reginald Knatchbull.
1575: Mr. Reginald Knatchbull sold them to Mr. Crispe. Mr Crispe then sold it back to Mr. Reginald Knatchbull.
1580: Fell into disrepair and said to be uninhabitable following an earthquake.
1589: Reginald Knatchbull conveyed them to William Gibbon, of Westcliffe.
1595: William Gibbon conveyed them to Norton Knatchbull, of Meresham.
1599: Norton Knatchbull sold them to Robert Cranmer, Esq., of Chevering.
1619: Robert Cranmer died and his daughter, Anne, inherited. Anne married Sir. Arthur Herrys, of Crixley, Essex.
1625-1649: During: Cranmar Herrys conveyed them to Sir. William Boteler.
1641: Sir. William Boteler was created a Baronet by Charles I.
1712: Sir. Philip Boteler sold them to Brook Bridges (1), Esq., of Goodnestone.
1799: Brook Bridges (2) great grandson of Brooke Bridges (1) held the site.
19th C: Fell into decay, but was restored and was converted into a home.
1580: Fell into disrepair and said to be uninhabitable following an earthquake.
1589: Reginald Knatchbull conveyed them to William Gibbon, of Westcliffe.
1595: William Gibbon conveyed them to Norton Knatchbull, of Meresham.
1599: Norton Knatchbull sold them to Robert Cranmer, Esq., of Chevering.
1619: Robert Cranmer died and his daughter, Anne, inherited. Anne married Sir. Arthur Herrys, of Crixley, Essex.
1625-1649: During: Cranmar Herrys conveyed them to Sir. William Boteler.
1641: Sir. William Boteler was created a Baronet by Charles I.
1712: Sir. Philip Boteler sold them to Brook Bridges (1), Esq., of Goodnestone.
1799: Brook Bridges (2) great grandson of Brooke Bridges (1) held the site.
19th C: Fell into decay, but was restored and was converted into a home.
1930’s: Restored by Lady Conway of Alington.
1953: Bought by Kenneth McKenzie Clark and created Lord Clark of Saltwood.
1963: Field Investigation.
1969: Field Investigation.
1983: Kenneth McKenzie Clark, Lord Clark of Saltwood, died and it was inherited by Alan Clark.
1999: Alan Clark died and his widow, Jane, inherited.
20th C: Hall restored by architect Philip Tilden.
21st C: On the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register.
1953: Bought by Kenneth McKenzie Clark and created Lord Clark of Saltwood.
1963: Field Investigation.
1969: Field Investigation.
1983: Kenneth McKenzie Clark, Lord Clark of Saltwood, died and it was inherited by Alan Clark.
1999: Alan Clark died and his widow, Jane, inherited.
20th C: Hall restored by architect Philip Tilden.
21st C: On the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register.