Manor houses

In the 15th and 16th centuries the military significance of the castle was downgraded - most battles were now fought in the open countryside rather than up against the castle walls. The possession of a castle now became a status symbol rather than a necessity for defence. It was thought wise to control and regulate the construction of castles, perhaps in an attempt to stop large landowners from becoming too powerful.

Castle owners were now required to obtain a "licence to crenellate", which meant that structures with towers and battlements were controlled. These licences were granted by the king and were not issued to all and sundry. Castles could no longer be built by anyone that could afford to do so.

Within these licenses to crenellate the design elements of the castle lived on in later monastic and religious houses, as well as colleges in Oxford and Cambridge and in private manor houses. It was the role of the castle as a centre of administration, justice and power that began to decline rapidly.

The local lords and barons who would have previously built castles now looked for less burdensome structures that would at the same time indicate their power and status. These requirements were met by the manor house, which was more comfortable and cheaper to build and maintain.

Many of these new manor houses, such as Lower Brockhampton (HER no. 7157), had features that had long been associated with castles, such as moats and gatehouses. This gave the impression that the inhabitants were important and wealthy but allowed them to live more simply.

The Civil War in 1642 had a major effect on the life span of castles. Many castles in Herefordshire were damaged because of the fighting. Brampton Bryan (HER no. 191), which had been defended by the Parliamentarian Lady Brilliana Harley, had been hit so hard by cannon fire that little of the roof remained and hardly a dry room was left. And it was not just damage caused by fighting that was the downfall of the castles. Many castles were deliberately slighted by the Royalists or the Parliamentarians to prevent the other side from gaining control of them. Most of these castles were not repaired afterwards, as there were neither the funds nor the inclination by their owners to do so.

By the 17th century the castle, which for so long had symbolised the upturn in society and architecture in England during the medieval period, had almost ceased to be. Although many still existed in Herefordshire very few were in a habitable state. They continued to be passed down through the generations but now the family homes existed elsewhere.

There was one last brief return to the majestic architecture of the castle during a revival period in the late 18th and 19th centuries, when castles such as Eastnor (HER no. 6709) and Downton (HER no. 6365) were built. However, these "castles" were not a return to the necessity of fortification and defence. The purpose of these structures was grandiose decoration and artistic landscapes. They were grand statements of social standing and representations of the romance associated with medieval lords and ladies, knights and barons, which was being promoted by the literature and art of the period.

Never again would there be defensive architecture with the same plurality and profusion throughout Herefordshire, or indeed England. The differences between the social classes which had once been so vast were now beginning to level out and it was beyond the reach of most landowners to undertake such massive constructions. The manor house was now the "castle" of choice. It was, status wise, almost as good as the castle but much more comfortable, affordable and desirable.

[Original author: Miranda Greene, 2002]