The History of Tattershall Castle

Tattershall Castle, a striking medieval fortress in Lincolnshire, England, stands as one of the country’s most impressive examples of brick-built medieval architecture, reflecting both military strength and aristocratic grandeur. Its history begins in the 13th century, when Robert de Tateshale, a baron of some local prominence, built the original stone castle on the site during the reign of Henry III. This early fortification was relatively modest—a traditional enclosure with walls, a gatehouse, and ancillary buildings typical of the time, designed primarily for defense in the troubled era of baronial disputes and threats of Scottish incursions. For several generations, the manor passed through the Tateshale family, but following the death of Robert de Tateshale without male issue in 1306, the estate fell into royal hands before passing through a number of owners. By the early 15th century, it was in the possession of Ralph, 3rd Baron Cromwell, a man whose political acumen and personal ambition would transform Tattershall forever. Cromwell, who served as Lord Treasurer of England under Henry VI, decided in the 1430s to completely rebuild the castle as a statement of his wealth and power, commissioning an extraordinary brick fortress at a time when brick was still rare and prestigious in England.