Broughton Castle
Picturesquely situated on an island surrounded by a three-acre moat, Broughton Castle has had an important part to play in England’s history. This incredibly well preserved medieval manor house was originally built around 1300 by John de Broughton, and his descendants, Lord and Lady Saye & Sele, still reside in it.
In the mid-17th century the manor was owned by Lord William Feinnes, nicknamed ‘Old Subtlety’, for his wise backing of power in the ascendancy. He opposed King Charles I during the English Civil War, and allowed the Parliamentarian faction to secretly meet here in the ‘room with no ears’. He raised a local regiment that included his own four sons, and they fought at the nearby battle of Edgehill. After the battle, the castle was besieged and captured by Royalists. However, Feinnes opposed the execution of the king and was later pardoned. A picture over the mantelpiece commemorates the restoration of the king’s son Charles II to the throne in 1660.
Mainly Elizabethan in style, the best features include the Great Hall, the opulent Oak Room, a 14th century chapel, and extensive gardens. In his seminal and well respected book England’s Thousand Best Houses, Simon Jenkins awards it a rare five star status.