128-634: Sir Robert Sawyer , of Highclere Castle (1633–1692) was the Attorney General for England and Wales (1681–1687) and, briefly, Speaker of the English House of Commons . Robert was a younger son of Sir Edmund Sawyer, of Heywood Lodge, at White Waltham , in Berkshire , who was Auditor of the Exchequer . He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge , where he was a contemporary of Samuel Pepys and later became
256-455: A casus belli . Bartholomew's wife, Margaret , took the bait and her men killed several of Isabella's retinue, giving Edward an excuse to intervene. Lancaster refused to help Bartholomew, his personal enemy, and Edward quickly regained control of south-east England. Alarmed, Lancaster now mobilised his own army in the north of England, and Edward mustered his own forces in the south-west. The Despensers returned from exile and were pardoned by
384-569: A short military campaign , capturing and executing Lancaster. Edward and the Despensers strengthened their grip on power, revoking the 1311 reforms, executing their enemies and confiscating estates. Unable to make progress in Scotland, Edward finally signed a truce with Robert. Opposition to the regime grew, and when Isabella was sent to France to negotiate a peace treaty in 1325, she turned against Edward and refused to return. Isabella allied herself with
512-456: A benefactor of the library there. Upon leaving university, he became a barrister of the Inner Temple and took part in a number of well-known cases. He later became treasurer of Inner Temple. Sawyer was elected MP for High Wycombe in 1673 and was knighted four years later. He was elected speaker in 1678, but had to resign in under a month because of health problems. Three years later he
640-602: A coalition of the Marcher Lords and the local gentry, and Lancaster held a high-level gathering of the barons and clergy in June which condemned the Despensers for having broken the Ordinances. Edward attempted reconciliation, but in July the opposition occupied London and called for the permanent removal of the Despensers. Fearing that he might be deposed if he refused, Edward agreed to exile
768-420: A comfortable stipend; no reason is given for the order, suggesting that it may have been an act aimed at punishing the prince. The possibility that Edward had a sexual relationship with Gaveston or his later favourites has been extensively discussed by historians, complicated by the paucity of surviving evidence to determine for certain the details of their relationships. Homosexuality was fiercely condemned by
896-508: A covenant of constancy, and bound himself with him before all other mortals with a bond of indissoluble love, firmly drawn up and fastened with a knot." The first specific suggestion that Edward engaged in sex with men was recorded in 1334, when Adam Orleton , the Bishop of Winchester , was accused of having stated in 1326 that Edward was a "sodomite", although Orleton defended himself by arguing that he had meant that Edward's adviser, Hugh Despenser
1024-426: A creek; for the water runs along at the foot of a steepish hill, thickly covered with trees, and the branches of the lowermost trees hang down into the water and hide the bank completely. I like this place better than Fonthill , Blenheim , Stowe , or any other gentleman's grounds that I have seen. The house I did not care about, though it appears to be large enough to hold half a village. The trees are very good, and
1152-483: A date for his wedding to Isabella continued. During this time, Edward became close to Piers Gaveston . Gaveston was the son of one of the King's household knights whose lands lay adjacent to Gascony, and had himself joined Prince Edward's household in 1300, possibly on Edward I's instruction. The two got on well; Gaveston became a squire and was soon being referred to as a close companion of Edward, before being knighted by
1280-754: A grand ceremony in which the two kings knighted Philip's sons and two hundred other men in Notre-Dame de Paris , large banquets along the River Seine , and a public declaration that both kings and their queens would join a crusade to the Levant . Philip gave lenient terms for settling the problems in Gascony, and the event was spoiled only by a serious fire in Edward's quarters. On his return from France, Edward found his political position greatly strengthened. After intense negotiation,
1408-426: A key fortification in Scotland; its English commander had stated that unless Edward arrived by 24 June, he would surrender. News of this reached the king in late May, and he decided to speed up his march north from Berwick-upon-Tweed to relieve the castle. Robert, with between 5,500 and 6,500 troops, predominantly spearmen , prepared to prevent Edward's forces from reaching Stirling. The battle began on 23 June as
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#17328489852621536-461: A long-running effort to resolve the tensions between the English and French crowns. Edward had a close and controversial relationship with Piers Gaveston , who had joined his household in 1300. The precise nature of Edward and Gaveston's relationship is uncertain; they may have been friends, lovers, or sworn brothers . Gaveston's arrogance and power as Edward's favourite provoked discontent both among
1664-505: A mentally ill man named John of Powderham appeared in Oxford, claiming that he was the real Edward II, and that Edward was a changeling , swapped at birth. John was duly executed, but his claims resonated with those criticising Edward for his lack of regal behaviour and steady leadership. Opposition also grew around Edward's treatment of his royal favourites. Edward had managed to retain some of his previous advisers, despite attempts by
1792-627: A new army of around 4,700 men to Scotland, where the military situation had continued to deteriorate. Robert the Bruce declined to give battle and the campaign progressed ineffectually over the winter until supplies and money ran out in 1311, forcing Edward to return south. By now the Ordainers had drawn up their Ordinances for reform and Edward had little political choice but to give way and accept them in October. The Ordinances of 1311 contained clauses limiting
1920-597: A new meeting of members of the Church and key barons in January 1309, and the leading earls then gathered in March and April, possibly under the leadership of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster . Another parliament followed, which refused to allow Gaveston to return to England, but offered to grant Edward additional taxes if he agreed to a programme of reform. Edward sent assurances to the Pope that
2048-477: A normal upbringing for a member of a royal family. He was interested in horses and horsebreeding , and became a good rider; he also liked dogs, in particular greyhounds . In his letters, he shows a quirky sense of humour, joking about sending unsatisfactory animals to his friends, such as horses who disliked carrying their riders, or lazy hunting dogs too slow to catch rabbits. He was not particularly interested in hunting or falconry , both popular activities in
2176-794: A powerful faction in England, but he was not personally interested in practical administration, nor was he a particularly imaginative or effective politician. Edward responded to the baronial threat by revoking the Ordinances and recalling Gaveston to England, being reunited with him at York in January 1312. The barons were furious and met in London, where Gaveston was excommunicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury and plans were put in place to capture Gaveston and prevent him from fleeing to Scotland. Edward, Isabella and Gaveston left for Newcastle, pursued by Lancaster and his followers. Abandoning many of their belongings,
2304-463: A range of concessions to placate those opposed to Gaveston, including agreeing to limit the powers of the royal steward and the marshal of the royal household, to regulate the Crown's unpopular powers of purveyance , and to abandon recently enacted customs legislation; in return, parliament agreed to fresh taxes for the war in Scotland. Temporarily, at least, Edward and the barons appeared to have come to
2432-500: A renowned travel writer and orientalist . Bishop Pococke was one of the first to collect seeds of the Cedar of Lebanon , which he did during his tour of Lebanon in 1738. Some of these seeds germinated and grew at Highclere and Wilton House , but probably also at nearby Sandleford and his family's own Newtown House, Hampshire. Coincidentally, the apparently unrelated (and earlier) Rev. Edward Pococke (1604–1691), another orientalist,
2560-491: A score or two of hares as we crossed the park; and, though we met with no gothic arches made of Scotch-fir, we saw something a great deal better; namely, about forty cows, the most beautiful that I ever saw, as to colour at least. They appear to be of the Galway-breed . They are called, in this country, Lord Caernarvon's breed. They have no horns, and their colour is a ground of white with black or red spots, these spots being from
2688-649: A simple marble tomb for his father. In 1308, Edward's marriage to Isabella of France proceeded. Edward crossed the English Channel to France in January, leaving Gaveston as his custos regni in charge of the kingdom. This arrangement was unusual, and involved unprecedented powers being delegated to Gaveston, backed by a specially engraved Great Seal . Edward probably hoped that the marriage would strengthen his position in Gascony and bring him much needed funds. The final negotiations, however, proved challenging: Edward and Philip IV did not like each other, and
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#17328489852622816-414: A successful compromise. Following his return, Gaveston's relationship with the major barons became increasingly difficult. He was considered arrogant, and he took to referring to the earls by offensive names, including calling one of their more powerful members the "dog of Warwick". The Earl of Lancaster and Gaveston's enemies refused to attend parliament in 1310 because Gaveston would be present. Edward
2944-469: A successful military leader, leading the suppression of the baronial revolts in the 1260s and joining the Ninth Crusade . During the 1280s he conquered North Wales , removing the native Welsh princes from power and, in the 1290s, he intervened in Scotland's civil war , claiming suzerainty over the country. He was considered an extremely successful ruler by his contemporaries, largely able to control
3072-408: A very cold winter and heavy rains the following spring that killed many sheep and cattle. The bad weather continued, almost unabated, into 1321, resulting in a string of bad harvests. Revenues from the exports of wool plummeted and the price of food rose, despite attempts by Edward's government to control prices. Edward called for hoarders to release food, and tried to encourage both internal trade and
3200-515: A wedding gift, and her father gave her gifts worth over 21,000 livres and a fragment of the True Cross . The pair returned to England in February, where Edward had ordered Westminster Palace to be lavishly restored in readiness for their coronation and wedding feast, complete with marble tables, forty ovens and a fountain that produced wine and pimento, a spiced medieval drink. After some delays,
3328-567: A word of English", but there is no evidence to support this account. Edward's name was English in origin, linking him to the Anglo-Saxon saint Edward the Confessor , and was chosen by his father instead of the more traditional Norman and Castilian names selected for Edward's brothers: John and Henry, who had died before Edward was born, and Alphonso , who died in August 1284, leaving Edward as
3456-563: Is a Grade I listed country house built in 1679 and largely renovated in the 1840s, with a park designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century. The 5,000-acre (2,000 ha) estate is in Highclere in Hampshire , England, about 5 miles (8 km) south of Newbury , Berkshire, and 9.5 miles (15 km) north of Andover , Hampshire. The 19th-century renovation is in a Jacobethan and Italianate style produced by architect Charles Barry . It
3584-474: Is a folly about 60 feet high on Sidown Hill , built in 1749 by Hon. Robert Sawyer Herbert (d. 1769). Other 18th-century follies that can be found on the grounds of the estate include Milford Lake House and Jackdaw's Castle, both attributed to the architect earl of Pembroke , brother of the owner, and the Etruscan Temple. The 2nd Earl of Carnarvon was a passionate horticulturalist and was vice-president of
3712-483: Is immeasurable. During World War II the castle housed evacuee children. Some allied aircraft crashed onto the estate, sections of a downed B-17 Flying Fortress are held at the castle. In the 21st century Lord and Lady Carnarvon undertook repairs to the roof. In 2007, they created the Egyptian Exhibition, which lies in the cellars of the castle and tells the story of the discovery of Tutankhamun 's tomb by
3840-402: Is more evident in the interiors. In the saloon, in an attempt to resemble a medieval English great hall , Barry's assistant Thomas Allom introduced a Gothic influence evident in the points rather than curves of the arches, and the mock- hammerbeam roof . Although the exterior of the north, east and south sides were completed before the 3rd Earl died in 1849 and Sir Charles Barry died in 1860,
3968-608: Is the country seat of the Earls of Carnarvon , a branch of the Anglo - Welsh Herbert family . Highclere Castle has been used as a filming location for several films and television series, including 1990s comedy series Jeeves and Wooster , and achieved international fame as the main location for the ITV historical drama series Downton Abbey (2010–15) and the 2019 and 2022 films based on it. The house, Egyptian exhibition, and gardens are open to
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4096-436: The Attorney General to Charles II and James II, who was a lawyer, MP, Speaker , and college friend of Samuel Pepys . In 1692, Sawyer bequeathed the mansion at Highclere to his only daughter, Margaret Sawyer, the first wife of the 8th Earl of Pembroke, Thomas Herbert . Their second son, Robert Sawyer Herbert , inherited Highclere, began its portrait collection and created the garden temples. His nephew and heir Henry Herbert
4224-565: The Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom , recognised the central role of the 4th Earl in the creation of Canada by planting a maple tree on the lawn on 11 January 2018. George Herbert, the 5th Earl married the rich heiress Almina Wombwell , the daughter of the bank heir Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), a son of Lionel de Rothschild . Thus Lord Carnarvon received a very large dowry. Rothschild père also made her
4352-589: The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland . Edward called for a fresh military campaign for Scotland, but this idea was quietly abandoned, and instead the king and the barons met in August 1308 to discuss reform. Behind the scenes, Edward started negotiations to convince both Pope Clement V and Philip IV to allow Gaveston to return to England, offering in exchange to suppress the Knights Templar in England, and to release Bishop Langton from prison. Edward called
4480-470: The Royal Horticultural Society from 1829 until his death in 1833. Many hybrids and cultivars of ornamental plants were produced on the castle grounds during that time. The hybrid azalea Rhododendron × altaclerense was first produced on the castle grounds in 1826, with over 25 Highclere azalea cultivars later being produced. The hybrid holly Ilex x altaclerensis (Highclere holly)
4608-476: The Treaty of Birgham , in which he promised to marry his six-year-old son to the young Margaret of Norway , who had a potential claim to the crown of Scotland. Margaret died later that year, bringing an end to the plan. Edward's mother, Eleanor, died shortly afterwards, followed by his grandmother, Eleanor of Provence . Edward I was distraught at his wife's death and held a huge funeral for her; his son inherited
4736-462: The 1301 Scottish campaign; he took an army of around 300 soldiers north with him and captured Turnberry Castle . Prince Edward also took part in the 1303 campaign during which he besieged Brechin Castle , deploying his own siege engine in the operation. In the spring of 1304, Edward conducted negotiations with the rebel Scottish leaders on the King's behalf and, when these failed, he joined his father for
4864-423: The 14th century. He enjoyed music, including Welsh music and the newly invented crwth instrument, as well as musical organs . He did not take part in jousting , either because he lacked the aptitude or because he had been banned from participating for his personal safety, but he was certainly enthusiastic in his support of the sport. Edward grew up to be tall and muscular, and was considered good-looking by
4992-535: The 19th century, there was a Renaissance Revival movement, of which Sir Charles Barry was an exponent, Barry described the style of Highclere as Anglo-Italian. Barry had been inspired to become an architect by the Renaissance architecture of Italy and was very proficient at working in the Renaissance-based style that became known in the 19th century as Italianate architecture . At Highclere, however, he worked in
5120-418: The 5th Earl. By 2009, the castle was again in need of major repairs, with only the ground and first floors remaining usable. Water damage had caused stonework to crumble and ceilings to collapse; at least 50 rooms were uninhabitable. The 8th Earl and his family were living in a "modest cottage in the grounds"; he said a lack of repair by his ancestors caused the castle's long-term problems. Repairs needed for
5248-449: The Church in 14th-century England, which equated it with heresy . Both men had sexual relationships with their wives, who bore them children; Edward also had an illegitimate son, and may have had an affair with his niece, Eleanor de Clare . The contemporary evidence supporting their homosexual relationship comes primarily from an anonymous chronicler in the 1320s who described how Edward "felt such love" for Gaveston that "he entered into
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5376-580: The County of Ponthieu from Eleanor. Next, a French marriage was considered for the young Edward, to help secure a lasting peace with France, but King Philip IV 's refusal to release fortresses in Gascony offered by Edward I provoked the Gascon War in 1294. The idea was replaced with the proposal of a marriage to a daughter of the rebellious Guy, Count of Flanders , but this too failed after King Philip
5504-413: The Despensers and pardoned the Marcher Lords for their actions. Edward began to plan his revenge. With the help of Pembroke, he formed a small coalition of his half-brothers, a few of the earls and some of the senior clergy, and prepared for war. Edward started with Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere , and Isabella was sent to Bartholomew's stronghold, Leeds Castle , to deliberately create
5632-504: The Earl of Pembroke that the battle was lost and he dragged the king away from the battlefield, hotly pursued by the Scottish forces. Edward only just escaped the heavy fighting, making a vow to found a Carmelite religious house at Oxford if he survived. The historian Roy Haines describes the defeat as a "calamity of stunning proportions" for the English, whose losses in the battle were huge. In
5760-533: The Earl of Pembroke, Edward and Lancaster finally agreed to the Treaty of Leake in August 1318, which pardoned Lancaster and his faction and established a new royal council, temporarily averting conflict. Edward's difficulties were exacerbated by prolonged problems in English agriculture , part of a wider phenomenon in northern Europe known as the Great Famine . It began with torrential rains in late 1314, followed by
5888-487: The English army attempted to force its way across the high ground of the Bannock Burn , which was surrounded by marshland. Skirmishing between the two sides broke out, resulting in the death of Sir Henry de Bohun , whom Robert killed in personal combat. Edward continued his advance the following day, and encountered the bulk of the Scottish army as they emerged from the woods of New Park. Edward appears not to have expected
6016-596: The French king drove a hard bargain over the size of Isabella's dower and the details of the administration of Edward's lands in France. As part of the agreement, Edward gave homage to Philip for the Duchy of Aquitaine and agreed to a commission to complete the implementation of the 1303 Treaty of Paris. The pair were married in Boulogne on 25 January. Edward gave Isabella a psalter as
6144-625: The Jacobethan style, but added to it some of the motifs of the Italianate style. This is particularly noticeable in the towers, which are slimmer and more refined than those of Mentmore Towers , the other great Jacobethan house built in the same era. Barry produced an alternative design in a more purely Italian Renaissance style, which was rejected by Lord Carnarvon. The external walls are decorated with strapwork designs typical of Northern European Renaissance architecture. The Italian Renaissance theme
6272-543: The King during the Feast of the Swans in 1306. The King then exiled Gaveston to Gascony in 1307 for reasons that remain unclear. According to one chronicler, Edward had asked his father to allow him to give Gaveston the County of Ponthieu , and the King responded furiously, pulling his son's hair out in great handfuls, before exiling Gaveston. The official court records, however, show Gaveston being only temporarily exiled, supported by
6400-449: The Ordainers to remove them, and divided the extensive de Clare inheritance among two of his new favourites, the former household knights Hugh Audley and Roger Damory , instantly making them extremely rich. Many of the moderates who had helped deliver the peaceful compromise in 1318 now began to turn against Edward, making violence ever more likely. The long-threatened civil war finally broke out in England in 1321, triggered by
6528-460: The Ordinances through a new reform commission, but he appears to have abandoned this role soon afterwards, partially because of disagreements with the other barons, and possibly because of ill-health. Lancaster refused to meet with Edward in parliament for the next two years, bringing effective governance to a standstill. This stymied any hopes for a fresh campaign into Scotland and raised fears of civil war. After much negotiation, once again involving
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#17328489852626656-529: The Scots to give battle here, and as a result had kept his forces in marching, rather than battle, order, with the archers —who would usually have been used to break up enemy spear formations—at the back of his army, rather than the front. His cavalry found it hard to operate in the cramped terrain and were crushed by Robert's spearmen. The English army was overwhelmed and its leaders were unable to regain control. Edward stayed behind to fight, but it became obvious to
6784-406: The Scottish campaign in 1307, which Prince Edward was due to join that summer, but the elderly king had been increasingly unwell and died on 7 July at Burgh by Sands . Edward travelled from London immediately after the news reached him, and on 20 July he was proclaimed king. He continued north into Scotland and on 4 August received homage from his Scottish supporters at Dumfries , before abandoning
6912-465: The Younger , was a sodomite, rather than the late king. The Meaux Chronicle from the 1390s simply notes that Edward gave himself "too much to the vice of sodomy". Alternatively, Edward and Gaveston may have simply been friends with a close working relationship. Contemporary chronicler comments are vaguely worded; Orleton's allegations were at least in part politically motivated, and are very similar to
7040-606: The Younger, whom one chronicler noted he "loved ... dearly with all his heart and mind". In early 1321, Lancaster mobilised a coalition of the Despensers' enemies across the Marcher territories. Edward and Hugh the Younger became aware of these plans in March and headed west, hoping that negotiations led by the moderate Earl of Pembroke would defuse the crisis. This time, Pembroke made his excuses and declined to intervene, and war broke out in May. The Despensers' lands were quickly seized by
7168-450: The administration of Gascony, and as part of this Edward and Isabella agreed to travel to Paris in June 1313 to meet with Philip IV. Edward probably hoped both to resolve the problems in the south of France and to win Philip's support in the dispute with the barons; for Philip it was an opportunity to impress his son-in-law with his power and wealth. It proved a spectacular visit, including
7296-522: The advance in 1319, but the famine made it increasingly difficult to keep his garrisons supplied with food. Meanwhile, a Scottish expedition led by Robert's brother Edward Bruce successfully invaded Ireland in 1315. Edward Bruce declared himself the High King of Ireland . He was finally defeated in 1318 by Edward II's Irish justiciar, Edmund Butler, at the Battle of Faughart , and Edward Bruce's severed head
7424-474: The aftermath of the defeat, Edward retreated to Dunbar , then travelled by ship to Berwick, and then back to York ; in his absence, Stirling Castle quickly fell. After the fiasco of Bannockburn, the Earls of Lancaster and Warwick saw their political influence increase, and they pressured Edward to re-implement the Ordinances of 1311. Lancaster became the head of the royal council in 1316, promising to take forward
7552-645: The barons and the French royal family, and Edward was forced to exile him. On Gaveston's return, the barons pressured the King into agreeing to wide-ranging reforms called the Ordinances of 1311 . The newly empowered barons banished Gaveston, to which Edward responded by revoking the reforms and recalling his favourite. Led by Edward's cousin Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster , a group of the barons seized and executed Gaveston in 1312, beginning several years of armed confrontation. English forces were pushed back in Scotland, where Edward
7680-459: The barons involved. The earls of Pembroke and Surrey were embarrassed and angry about Warwick's actions, and shifted their support to Edward in the aftermath. To Lancaster and his core of supporters, the execution had been both legal and necessary to preserve the stability of the kingdom. Civil war again appeared likely, but in December, the Earl of Pembroke negotiated a potential peace treaty between
7808-512: The barons remained high, and the earls opposed to the king kept their personal armies mobilised late into 1311. By now Edward had become estranged from his cousin, the Earl of Lancaster, who was also the Earl of Leicester , Lincoln, Salisbury and Derby , with an income of around £11,000 a year from his lands, almost double that of the next wealthiest baron. Backed by the earls of Arundel , Gloucester , Hereford , Pembroke and Warwick , Lancaster led
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#17328489852627936-434: The campaign and returning south. Edward promptly recalled Piers Gaveston, who was then in exile, and made him Earl of Cornwall , before arranging his marriage to the wealthy Margaret de Clare. Edward also arrested his old adversary Bishop Langton, and dismissed him from his post as treasurer. Edward I's body was kept at Waltham Abbey for several months before being taken for burial to Westminster, where Edward erected
8064-458: The castle will no longer be used to host large weddings due to staffing shortages. "We have stopped being able to offer any weddings of any substantial size because of Brexit ," the owner told Reuters. Edward II of England Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also known as Edward of Caernarfon or Caernarvon , was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I , Edward became
8192-494: The ceremony went ahead on 25 February at Westminster Abbey, under the guidance of Henry Woodlock , the Bishop of Winchester . As part of the coronation, Edward swore to uphold "the rightful laws and customs which the community of the realm shall have chosen". It is uncertain what this meant: It might have been intended to force Edward to accept future legislation, it may have been inserted to prevent him from overturning any future vows he might take, or it may have been an attempt by
8320-625: The colour of which, at this season, forms a most beautiful contrast with that of the down itself, which is so green and so smooth! From the vale in the park, along which we rode, we looked apparently almost perpendicularly up at the downs, where the trees have extended themselves by seed more in some places than others, and thereby formed numerous salient parts of various forms, and, of course, as many and as variously formed glades. These, which are always so beautiful in forests and parks, are peculiarly beautiful in this lofty situation and with verdure so smooth as that of these chalky downs. Our horses beat up
8448-459: The commander of the rearguard at the siege of Caerlaverock Castle . In the spring of 1301, the King declared Edward the Prince of Wales , granting him the earldom of Chester and lands across North Wales; he seems to have hoped that this would help pacify the region, and that it would give his son some financial independence. Edward received homage from his Welsh subjects and then joined his father for
8576-405: The conflict surrounding Gaveston's role was at an end. On the basis of these promises, and procedural concerns about how the original decision had been taken, the Pope agreed to annul the Archbishop's threat to excommunicate Gaveston, thus opening the possibility of Gaveston's return. Gaveston arrived back in England in June, where he was met by Edward. At the parliament the next month, Edward made
8704-414: The earls, including Lancaster and Warwick, came to a compromise in October 1313, fundamentally very similar to the draft agreement of the previous December. Edward's finances improved, thanks to parliament agreeing to the raising of taxes, a loan of 160,000 florins (£25,000) from the Pope, £33,000 borrowed from Philip, and further loans organised by Edward's new Italian banker, Antonio Pessagno . For
8832-561: The entire estate were estimated to cost around £12 million, £1.8 million of which was urgently needed just for the castle. The castle was used as the main filming location for the ITV / PBS drama series Downton Abbey , which brought the castle international fame. The increased numbers of visitors to the castle have allowed for repairs on Highclere's turrets and its interior. The family now live in Highclere Castle at various times throughout
8960-640: The exiled Roger Mortimer , and invaded England with a small army in 1326. Edward's regime collapsed and he fled into Wales, where he was captured in November. Edward was forced to relinquish his crown in January 1327 in favour of his son, Edward III , and he died in Berkeley Castle on 21 September, probably murdered on the orders of the new regime. Edward's relationship with Gaveston inspired Christopher Marlowe 's 1592 play Edward II , along with other plays, films, novels and media. Many of these have focused on
9088-458: The expense of the other Marcher Lords . The Earl of Lancaster and the Despensers were fierce enemies, and Lancaster's antipathy was shared by most of the Despensers' neighbours, including the Earl of Hereford, the Mortimer family and the recently elevated Hugh Audley and Roger Damory. Edward, however, increasingly relied on the Despensers for advice and support, and he was particularly close to Hugh
9216-434: The feast. Parliament met in February 1308 in a heated atmosphere. Edward was eager to discuss the potential for governmental reform, but the barons were unwilling to begin any such debate until the problem of Gaveston had been resolved. Violence seemed likely, but the situation was resolved through the mediation of the moderate Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln , who convinced the barons to back down. A fresh parliament
9344-439: The first time in his reign, Edward's government was well funded. By 1314, Robert the Bruce had recaptured most of the castles in Scotland once held by Edward, pushing raiding parties into northern England as far as Carlisle . In response, Edward planned a major military campaign with the support of Lancaster and the barons, mustering a large army between 15,000 and 20,000 strong. Meanwhile, Robert had besieged Stirling Castle,
9472-400: The heir to the throne following the death of his older brother Alphonso . Beginning in 1300, Edward accompanied his father on campaigns in Scotland , and in 1306 he was knighted in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey . Edward succeeded to the throne the next year, following his father's death. In 1308, he married Isabella , daughter of the powerful King Philip IV of France , as part of
9600-429: The heir to the throne. Although Edward was a relatively healthy child, there were enduring concerns throughout his early years that he too might die and leave his father without a male heir. After his birth, Edward was looked after by a wet nurse called Mariota or Mary Maunsel for a few months until she fell ill, when Alice de Leygrave became his foster mother. He would have barely known his natural mother, Eleanor, who
9728-490: The heiress to his vast fortune. At the beginning of World War I , a hospital for war wounded was opened at Highclere Castle, with Lady Carnarvon helping with the organisation and assisting as a nurse. The castle became home to Egyptian artefacts after the 5th Earl, an enthusiastic amateur Egyptologist , sponsored the excavation of nobles' tombs in Deir el-Bahari ( Thebes ) in 1907, and employed archaeologist Howard Carter in
9856-459: The highly politicised sodomy allegations made against Pope Boniface VIII and the Knights Templar in 1303 and 1308, respectively. Later accounts by chroniclers of Edward's activities may trace back to Orleton's original allegations, and were certainly adversely coloured by the events at the end of Edward's reign. Such historians as Michael Prestwich and Seymour Phillips have argued that
9984-450: The importation of grain, but with little success. The requisitioning of provisions for the royal court during the famine years only added to tensions. Meanwhile, Robert the Bruce exploited his victory at Bannockburn to raid northern England, initially attacking Carlisle and Berwick, and then reaching further south into Lancashire and Yorkshire , even threatening York itself. Edward undertook an expensive but unsuccessful campaign to stem
10112-415: The interior and the west wing (designated as servants' quarters) were far from complete. The 4th Earl turned to the architect Thomas Allom , who had worked with Barry, to supervise work on the interior of the castle, which was completed in 1878. The 1st Earl had his park laid out according to a design by Capability Brown in 1774–1777, moving the village in the process—the remains of the church of 1689 are at
10240-463: The king to ingratiate himself with the barons. The event was marred by the large crowds of eager spectators who surged into the palace, knocking down a wall and forcing Edward to flee by the back door. Isabella was only twelve at the time of her wedding, young even by the standards of the period, and Edward probably had sexual relations with mistresses during their first few years together. During this time he fathered an illegitimate son, Adam , who
10368-720: The king's right to go to war or to grant land without parliament's approval, giving parliament control over the royal administration, abolishing the system of prises, excluding the Frescobaldi bankers, and introducing a system to monitor the adherence to the Ordinances. In addition, the Ordinances exiled Gaveston once again, this time with instructions that he should not be allowed to live anywhere within Edward's lands, including Gascony and Ireland, and that he should be stripped of his titles. Edward retreated to his estates at Windsor and Kings Langley ; Gaveston left England, possibly for northern France or Flanders. Tensions between Edward and
10496-551: The new royal administration of North Wales. Edward's birth brought predictions of greatness from contemporary prophets , who believed that the Last Days of the world were imminent, declaring him a new King Arthur , who would lead England to glory. David Powel , a 16th-century clergyman, suggested that the baby was offered to the Welsh as a prince "that was borne in Wales and could speake never
10624-579: The night, and on 29 and 30 August he was at Crookham, Berkshire . In 1551 during the English Reformation King Edward VI confiscated the property from the Church of England . Originally granted by the king to the Fitzwilliam family, Highclere Castle had several owners during the next 125 years. The palace was rebuilt as Place House in 1679 when it was purchased by Sir Robert Sawyer ,
10752-478: The north-west corner of the castle. The Lebanon Cedars are believed to be descended from seeds brought to England from Lebanon by the 17th-century seed collector Edward Pococke . In the 1860s, the 4th Earl drafted the British North America Act of 1867 at the castle alongside the first Prime Minister of Canada John A. Macdonald , George-Étienne Cartier and Alexander Tilloch Galt , who signed
10880-445: The one in name and the other in deed". Accusations, probably untrue, were levelled at Gaveston that he had stolen royal funds and had purloined Isabella's wedding presents. Gaveston had played a key role at Edward's coronation, provoking fury from both the English and the French contingents about the earl's ceremonial precedence and magnificent clothes, and about Edward's apparent preference for Gaveston's company over that of Isabella at
11008-669: The park became a rococo landscape of walks. Then in 1770 it became a landscaped park designed by Capability Brown . In 1991 Highclere Park was registered as an SSSI. The park's listing as an SSSI is due to a mixture of habitats that contain many regional uncommon plants, and its diverse range of lichen . There are various follies on the estate. To the east of the house is the Temple of Diana, erected before 1743 with Ionic order columns from Devonshire House in Piccadilly , which had burnt in 1733, and remodelled by Barry. "Heaven's Gate"
11136-435: The park of Lord Caernarvon, at Highclere. It is a fine season to look at woods. The oaks are still covered, the beeches in their best dress, the elms yet pretty green, and the beautiful ashes only beginning to turn off. This is, according to my fancy, the prettiest park that I have ever seen. A great variety of hill and dell. A good deal of water, and this, in one part, only wants the colours of American trees to make it look like
11264-642: The participants pledged to support each other in a form of "brotherhood-in-arms", were not unknown between close male friends in the Middle Ages. Many chroniclers described Edward and Gaveston's relationship as one of brotherhood, and one explicitly noted that Edward had taken Gaveston as his adopted brother. Chaplais argues that the pair may have made a formal compact in either 1300 or 1301, and that they would have seen any later promises they made to separate or to leave each other as having been made under duress, and therefore invalid. Edward I mobilised another army for
11392-427: The possible sexual relationship between the two men. Edward's contemporaries criticised his performance as a king, noting his failures in Scotland and the oppressive regime of his later years, although 19th-century academics have argued that the growth of parliamentary institutions during his reign was a positive development for England over the longer term. Debate has continued into the 21st century as to whether Edward
11520-493: The powerful earls that formed the senior ranks of the English nobility. The historian Michael Prestwich describes Edward I as "a king to inspire fear and respect", while John Gillingham characterises him as an "efficient bully". Despite Edward I's successes, when he died in 1307 he left a range of challenges for his son to resolve. One of the most critical was the problem of English rule in Scotland, where Edward I's long but ultimately inconclusive military campaign
11648-520: The public during the summer months and at other times during the rest of the year. The castle also holds special ticketed events throughout the year. In 2007, the grounds were the venue for the Countryside Rocks concert, to raise funds for the UK rural advocacy organisation Countryside Alliance , featuring Bryan Ferry , Steve Winwood , Eric Clapton , Steve Harley and Kenney Jones . As of March 2023,
11776-521: The public for self-guided tours during the summer months and at other times during the rest of the year, such as Christmas and Easter. The house also holds ticketed events, such as the Battle Proms picnic concert, and special guided tours throughout the year. The first written records about the estate are dated 749, when an Anglo-Saxon king granted the estate to the Bishops of Winchester . The original site
11904-470: The public nature of the English royal court would have made it unlikely that any homosexual affairs would have remained discreet; neither the contemporary Church, Edward's father nor his father-in-law appear to have made any adverse comments about Edward's sexual behaviour. A more recent theory, proposed by the historian Pierre Chaplais , suggests that Edward and Gaveston entered into a bond of adoptive brotherhood . Compacts of adoptive brotherhood, in which
12032-410: The royal party fled by ship and landed at Scarborough , where Gaveston stayed while Edward and Isabella returned to York. After a short siege, Gaveston surrendered to the earls of Pembroke and Surrey , on the promise that he would not be harmed. He had with him a huge collection of gold, silver and gems, probably part of the royal treasury, which he was later accused of having stolen from Edward. On
12160-490: The search for the tomb of Tutankhamun . The Egyptian Museum at Highclere Castle was established after the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb , in 1922. After the death of the 5th Earl in 1923, Lady Carnarvon continued to support Howard Carter and his team. She resided at Highclere but spent much of her time in Egypt supporting the famous excavations. Her legacy is one of the less noted in the history of Egyptology, but her contribution
12288-483: The siege of Stirling Castle . In 1305, Edward and his father quarrelled, probably over the issue of money. The prince had an altercation with Bishop Walter Langton , who served as the royal treasurer, apparently over the amount of financial support Edward received from the Crown. The king defended his treasurer, and banished Prince Edward and his companions from his court, cutting off their financial support. After some negotiations involving family members and friends,
12416-460: The size of a plate to that of a crown-piece; and some of them have no small spots. These cattle were lying down together in the space of about an acre of ground: they were in excellent condition, and so fine a sight of the kind I never saw. The house was then a square, classical mansion, but, after an abortive exterior remodelling by Thomas Hopper in Greek Revival style for the second Earl, it
12544-435: The standards of the period. He had a reputation as a competent public speaker and was known for his generosity to household staff. Unusually, he enjoyed rowing , as well as hedging and ditching , and enjoyed associating with labourers and other lower-class workers. This behaviour was not considered normal for the nobility of the period and attracted criticism from contemporaries. In 1290, Edward's father had confirmed
12672-567: The tension between many of the barons and the royal favourites, the Despenser family. Hugh Despenser the Elder had served both Edward and his father, while Hugh Despenser the Younger had married into the wealthy de Clare family, become the King's chamberlain , and acquired Glamorgan in the Welsh Marches in 1317. Hugh the Younger subsequently expanded his holdings and power across Wales, mainly at
12800-474: The terms of the Ordinances; he was beheaded on Blacklow Hill the following day, under the authority of Lancaster. Gaveston's body was not buried until 1315, when his funeral was held in King's Langley Priory . Reactions to the death of Gaveston varied considerably. Edward was furious and deeply upset over what he saw as the murder of Gaveston; he made provisions for Gaveston's family, and intended to take revenge on
12928-411: The two men were reconciled. The Scottish conflict flared up once again in 1306, when Robert the Bruce killed his rival John Comyn III of Badenoch , and declared himself King of the Scots. Edward I mobilised a fresh army, but decided that, this time, his son would be formally in charge of the expedition. Prince Edward was made the duke of Aquitaine and then, along with many other young men, he
13056-404: The two sides, which would pardon the opposition barons for the killing of Gaveston, in exchange for their support for a fresh campaign in Scotland. Lancaster and Warwick, however, did not give the treaty their immediate approval, and further negotiations continued through most of 1313. Meanwhile, the Earl of Pembroke had been negotiating with France to resolve the long-standing disagreements over
13184-573: The visitor book in 1866. The 4th Earl presented the Act to Parliament in February 1867. The passage of the Act later that year represented the legal expression of Canadian Confederation and the establishment of Canada in its present institutional form; the Act forms the framework of the Constitution of Canada to this day. After the discovery of documents between him and John A. Macdonald , showing eight weeks of nearly daily correspondence, Janice Charette ,
13312-457: The way back from the north, Pembroke stopped in the village of Deddington in the Midlands, putting Gaveston under guard there while he went to visit his wife. The Earl of Warwick took this opportunity to seize Gaveston, taking him to Warwick Castle , where the Earl of Lancaster and the rest of his faction assembled on 18 June. At a brief trial, Gaveston was declared guilty of being a traitor under
13440-433: The woods would be handsomer if the larches and firs were burnt, for which only they are fit. The great beauty of the place is, the lofty downs, as steep, in some places, as the roof of a house, which form a sort of boundary, in the form of a part of a crescent, to about a third part of the park, and then slope off and get more distant, for about half another third part. A part of these downs is covered with trees, chiefly beech,
13568-534: The year, but return to their cottage when the castle is open to the public. The parkland surrounding the castle is listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and is listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The park is the earliest documented estate in Hampshire, having been given in 749 to the Church of Winchester as a deer park. In 1706, under the ownership of Robert Sawyer Herbert,
13696-490: The younger (fl. 1701–1727) carried on his father's school at Highclere. Elizabeth, the daughter of Milles the younger, married Reverend Richard Pococke LL.B. (1660–1710) and had the Rt. Rev. Richard Pococke (1704–1765), who, having been educated by his grandfather Milles at his school at Highclere rectory, went on to become domestic chaplain to Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield , and then Bishop of Ossory and Meath, as well as
13824-630: Was knighted in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey called the Feast of the Swans . Amid a huge feast in the neighbouring hall, reminiscent of Arthurian legends and crusading events, the assembly took a collective oath to defeat Bruce. It is unclear what role Prince Edward's forces played in the campaign that summer, which, under the orders of Edward I, saw a punitive, brutal retaliation against Bruce's faction in Scotland. Edward returned to England in September, where diplomatic negotiations to finalise
13952-459: Was a lazy and incompetent king, or simply a reluctant and ultimately unsuccessful ruler. Edward II was the fourth son of Edward I, King of England , Lord of Ireland , and ruler of Gascony in south-western France (which he held as the feudal vassal of the king of France ), and Eleanor, Countess of Ponthieu in northern France. Eleanor was from the Castilian royal family. Edward I proved
14080-504: Was able to have the proposed bride sent to Paris. Between 1297 and 1298, Edward was left as regent in charge of England while the King campaigned in Flanders against Philip IV, who had occupied part of the English king's lands in Gascony. On his return, Edward I signed a peace treaty , under which he took Philip's sister Margaret as his wife and agreed that Prince Edward would in due course marry Philip's daughter, Isabella, who
14208-549: Was also recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the late 14th century William of Wykeham , Bishop of Winchester, built a medieval palace (bishop's residence) and gardens in the park. An itinerary of King Edward II lists him as spending 2 September 1320 with Rigaud of Assier , the Bishop of Winchester, at Bishop's Clere, alias Highclere. The same tour has him on 31 August 1320 at Sandleford Priory, where he apparently stayed for
14336-541: Was assigned one of his grandmother's followers, Guy Ferre , as his magister , who was responsible for his discipline, training him in riding and military skills. It is uncertain how well educated Edward was; there is little evidence for his ability to read and write, although his mother was keen that her other children be well educated, and Ferre was himself a relatively learned man for the period. Edward likely mainly spoke Anglo-Norman French in his daily life, in addition to some English and possibly Latin . Edward had
14464-463: Was born in Caernarfon Castle in north Wales on 25 April 1284, less than a year after Edward I had conquered the region, and as a result is sometimes called Edward of Caernarfon. The King probably chose the castle deliberately as the location for Edward's birth as it was an important symbolic location for the native Welsh, associated with Roman imperial history , and it formed the centre of
14592-493: Was born possibly as early as 1307. Edward and Isabella's first son, the future Edward III , was born in 1312 amid great celebrations, and three more children followed: John in 1316, Eleanor in 1318 and Joan in 1321. Gaveston's return from exile in 1307 was initially accepted by the barons, but opposition quickly grew. He appeared to have an excessive influence on royal policy, leading to complaints from one chronicler that there were "two kings reigning in one kingdom,
14720-475: Was buried in the old church there. He had married Margaret Suckeley and had one daughter, Margaret Sawyer, who married Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke . Their descendants the Earls of Carnarvon eventually inherited Highclere Castle . He also had a son George, and through George's daughter Catherine was ancestor of the Marquess of Anglesey. Highclere Castle Highclere Castle / ˈ h aɪ k l ɪər /
14848-469: Was created Baron Porchester and later Earl of Carnarvon by George III . In 1680 Sir Robert Sawyer presented the living of Highclere to the Rev. Isaac Milles (1638–1720) the elder, who remained there till his death. White Oak was the parsonage where Milles took pupils, including the many children of Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke , who was by marriage the new proprietor of Highclere. The Rev. Isaac Milles
14976-404: Was decisively defeated by Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Widespread famine followed, and criticism of the King's reign mounted. The Despenser family, in particular Hugh Despenser the Younger , became close friends and advisers to Edward, but in 1321 Lancaster and many of the barons seized the Despensers' lands and forced the King to exile them. In response, Edward led
15104-606: Was developed here in 1835 by hybridising the Madeiran Ilex perado (grown in a greenhouse ) with the local native Ilex aquifolium . This hybrid and its offspring are still used as garden plants almost 200 years later. Highclere Castle launched its own gin brand in 2019 called Highclere Castle Gin. It is the first gin to earn a perfect score, 100 points from the Major League Spirits Association (MLSA) The castle, Egyptian exhibition and gardens are open to
15232-471: Was facing increasing financial problems, owing £22,000 to his Frescobaldi Italian bankers, and facing protests about how he was using his right of prises to acquire supplies for the war in Scotland. His attempts to raise an army for Scotland collapsed and the earls suspended the collection of the new taxes. The king and parliament met again in February 1310, and the proposed discussions of Scottish policy were replaced by debate of domestic problems. Edward
15360-461: Was held in April, where the barons once again criticised Gaveston, demanding his exile, this time supported by Isabella and the French monarchy. Edward resisted, but finally acquiesced, agreeing to send Gaveston to Aquitaine, under threat of excommunication by the Archbishop of Canterbury should he return. At the last moment, Edward changed his mind and instead sent Gaveston to Dublin , appointing him as
15488-505: Was in Gascony with his father during his earliest years. An official household, complete with staff, was created for the new baby, under the direction of a clerk, Giles of Oudenarde. Spending increased on Edward's personal household as he grew older and, in 1293, William of Blyborough took over as its administrator. Edward was probably given a religious education by the Dominican friars , whom his mother invited into his household in 1290. He
15616-615: Was made attorney-general. Sir Robert prosecuted members of the Rye House Plot and also Titus Oates . He returned to private practice, and scored a great triumph as defence counsel in the Trial of the Seven Bishops . Sawyer settled at Highclere in Hampshire where he built the house that preceded the present Highclere Castle . He was elected to Parliament for Cambridge University in 1689 and 1690. He died at Highclere on 30 July 1692 and
15744-462: Was ongoing when he died. His control of Gascony created tension with the French kings. They insisted that the English kings give homage to them for the lands; the English kings saw this demand as insulting to their honour, and the issue remained unresolved. Edward I also faced increasing opposition from his barons over the taxation and requisitions required to resource his wars, and left his son debts of around £200,000 on his death. Edward II
15872-425: Was petitioned to abandon Gaveston as his counsellor and instead adopt the advice of 21 elected barons, termed Ordainers , who would carry out a widespread reform of both the government and the royal household. Under huge pressure, he agreed to the proposal and the Ordainers were elected, broadly evenly split between reformers and conservatives. While the Ordainers began their plans for reform, Edward and Gaveston took
16000-639: Was remodelled and largely rebuilt for the third Earl following a design by Sir Charles Barry in 1842–49 during his construction of the Houses of Parliament . It is in the Jacobethan style and faced in Bath stone , reflecting the Victorian revival of English architecture of the late 16th century and early 17th century, when Tudor architecture was being challenged by newly arrived Renaissance architecture influences. During
16128-530: Was sent back to Edward II. Revolts also broke out in Lancashire and Bristol in 1315, and in Glamorgan in Wales in 1316, but were suppressed. The famine and the Scottish policy were felt to be a punishment from God, and complaints about Edward multiplied, one contemporary poem describing the "Evil Times of Edward II". Many criticised Edward's "improper" and ignoble interest in rural pursuits. In 1318,
16256-538: Was sometime vicar of Chieveley and then rector of Childrey (both nearby in Berkshire), and was an even earlier importer of the cedar. And of his six sons, the eldest, Edward Pococke (1648–1727) was chaplain to the Earl of Pembroke , and rector of Minall or Mildenhall, Wiltshire (1692), and canon of Salisbury (1675). William Cobbett (1763–1835) in his journal of 2 November 1821, while at Hurstbourne Tarrant wrote: I came from Berghclere this morning, and through
16384-567: Was then only two years old. In theory, this marriage would mean that the disputed Duchy of Gascony would be inherited by a descendant of both Edward and Philip, providing a possible end to the long-running tensions. The young Edward seems to have got on well with his new stepmother, who gave birth to two sons, Thomas of Brotherton in 1300 and Edmund of Woodstock in 1301. As king, Edward later provided his half-brothers with financial support and titles. Edward I returned to Scotland once again in 1300, and this time took his son with him, making him
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