Baconsthorpe Castle

Baconsthorpe Castle, historically known as Baconsthorpe Hall, is a ruined, fortified manor house near the village of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, England. It was established in the 15th century on the site of a former manor hall, probably by John Heydon I and his father, William. John was an ambitious lawyer with many enemies, and built a tall, fortified house, but his descendants became wealthy sheep farmers and, less worried about any attack, developed the property into a more elegant, courtyard house, complete with a nearby deer park.

By the end of the 16th century, the Heydons were spending beyond their means and the castle had to be mortgaged; nonetheless, new formal gardens and a decorative mere were built alongside the house. Sir John Heydon III fought alongside the Royalists during the English Civil War and in retaliation was declared delinquent by Parliament in 1646. His fortunes did not recover and he began to demolish Baconsthorpe in 1650 in order to sell off its stonework. The outer gatehouse was turned into a private home and continued to be occupied until 1920, when one of its turrets collapsed. In the 21st century, the ruins of the castle are managed by English Heritage and open to visitors.

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