Tickhill Castle: The Yorkshire castle which can trace its beginnings back to William The Conqueror

Magilton (1977) states that the change of name from Dadesley to Tickhill ‘may imply a physical movement of the settlement, possibly drawn from an original site nearby by the building of the eleventh century castle’.

The Tickhill History Society website mentions the first Tickhill Castle was built by de Busli. It was a motte and bailey structure, surrounded by a wooden fence and a moat.

The website also agrees with Magilton’s theory, stating: ‘The location of this castle was to give its name to a new settlement – Tickhill.’

Busli erected other castles and these were at Kimberworth, Laughton-en-le Morthen and Mexborough.

Following de Busli’s death in 1098, Tickhill was claimed by Robert Belleme (Belesme) Earl of Shrewsbury who fortified the castle.

This was to prepare for a battle with Henry I, the fourth son of William the Conqueror and who reigned from 1100 to his death in 1135.

But, the castle was taken and the Earl banished. Henry strengthened the fortress with stone curtain walls, a large gatehouse and ditches.

Henry was succeeded as King of England by Stephen often referred to as Stephen of Blois, reigning from 1135-1154. King Stephen created the Count of Ewe in Normandy as Lord of the Manor of Tickhill.

Henry II (1154-1189) followed King Stephen and amongst his Tickhill Castle improvements were a unique eleven-sided keep, a new curtain wall and a chapel in the courtyard was dedicated to St Nicholas.

After Henry’s death the castle passed to Richard I and his brother John. The latter may have visited Tickhill on a number of occasions and authorised the building of a barbican and stables, besides undertaking other repairs.

Following on from King John were Henry III, Edward I, Edward II. During the latter’s time, Tickhill Castle was under siege in 1322 for three weeks, but William de Anne, the Constable was victorious in its defence.

Edward III was next in line, then his fourth son John of Gaunt. After he was conferred with the title Duke of Lancaster, Tickhill Castle has been under the Duchy of Lancaster.

Over the next century-and-a-half, it has been mentioned that little is known about the Tickhill Castle and it fell into disrepair as the importance of castles had diminished.

Some repairs however were carried out and were authorised by Queen Elizabeth I.

Amongst them was work to the Court House, the Constable’s lodging over the gateway, but it was decided to abandon the Keep.

Repairs and re-fortification were thought to have taken place during the early 1640s as Tickhill Castle was a Royalist garrison held first by Sir Ralph Hansby, then a Major Monkton.

The fortress was surrendered on July 28, 1644 and three years later, Parliament ordered that all northern castles should be pulled down. This occurred at Tickhill in 1649.

A three-storey hall was erected within the Castle courtyard using the medieval remains, in particular those of the chapel of St Nicholas.

The hall, becoming a private residence, was then referred to as Tickhill Castle. In subsequent years, the property, under the Duchy of Lancaster, housed a number of tenants.

Amongst them were Earl Fitzwilliam and the Lumley family – the Earls of Scarborough.

The Duchy of Lancaster’s properties encompass a diverse portfolio of assets with the overarching objective of generating income for the Sovereign.

At the nearby Tickhill Castle Stud farm, racehorses were bred by Frederick Lumley and his son Richard Lumley who was a Steward at Doncaster racecourse. Noted at the Stud during the early 19th century were Newminster, Tramp and Catton.

Another prominent castle occupant was cricketer Sir Archibald White who later succeeded to the Wallingwells estate. He captained the Tickhill team and then Yorkshire from 1911 to 1914, leading them to the County Championship in 1912.

Events were often noted in the castle grounds. On Whit Monday 1898, children with their teachers and friends assembled at the Tickhill Wesleyan Chapel and marched to the Tickhill Castle grounds which were thrown open by tenant, Mrs Wright.

After being shown over the grounds, the youngsters assembled on the lawn in front of the mansion, and, assisted by the choir, sang several hymns and the National anthem.

One of the chief attractions of Tickhill Education Week was a pageant of local history given in a natural setting in the Tickhill Castle grounds on June 24, 1936 by kind permission of resident Mr G.H. Atkinson-Clark. The performers for the most part were 160 school children.

An article from October 14, 1949, mentioned that Tickhill Castle was to become a private school. By the following year, the school was known as the Ivy Mount College and described as ‘An Independent Grammar School for Girls and Boys’, catering for ages 4 to 16 and over.

There was a private motor coach from Doncaster to the Castle and back each day.

In May 1956, Tickhill Castle was being offered to let by a Retford firm of auctioneers, an official commented the tenant must be prepared to contribute towards the upkeep of the castle which had seven acres of ground.

He revealed offers had been received to turn the castle into a hotel, another into a small holding and a third into a garage.

By July 1957, Tickhill Castle was about to be let as a private home. It was claimed that ‘more than £3,000 had been spent on modernising the castle’.

John Cavall, music adviser in West Riding Education Department, was chosen from hundreds who had applied to rent the property. He moved in with his wife Rosemary, ITV’s assistant head of schools broadcasting, in early October 1957.

In the 1980s, conservation work was carried out at the castle. It is recalled in Charles Hippisley-Cox’s article Tickhill Castle Revisited: An Assessment of the Repair Strategy which he published in November 2010.

He mentions that initial discussions regarding the future of the castle began in 1983 between Doncaster Council and the Duchy of Lancaster.

It was decided that a programme of repairs would be essential, whatever the long-term plans for the castle. English Heritage was brought in to the negotiations. An imaginative scheme was set in place.

New lessees were sought for the castle in 2022. It was said the property had been the subject of a lengthy and painstaking restoration and formed a fantastic family house with grand reception rooms and bedrooms.

Modern amenities were complemented by a wealth of original character features.

Thanks to Professor Dr Paul Buckland for help with this piece.