Woodcroft Castle is a medieval castle located in Cambridgeshire, England. Tucked away in a rural setting, despite only being two miles north of the city of Peterborough, this 13th-century castle has a very gory past.
THE HISTORY OF WOODCROFT CASTLE
Woodcroft Castle was originally built by the Woodcroft family around 1280, and much of what you can see, such as the circular tower and the gatehouse, dates back to then.
However, in the late 1400s, additions to the castle were made; whether this was because the castle was never fully finished or parts were destroyed and then rebuilt has been a hot topic of debate among historians.
The Woodcroft family owned Woodcroft Castle until 1545, when it was sold to Lord Fitzwilliam. His family would own the castle for the next 450 years, finally selling it in 1988.
However, quite a lot happened during the Fitzwilliam ownership…
WOODCROFT CASTLE DURING THE CIVIL WAR
In 1648, England was in a civil war between Cromwell’s Roundheads and the King’s Cavaliers. A doctor named Michael Hudson lived close to Woodcroft Castle, a supporter of the King; he organised a group of men to launch a surprise attack against nearby Roundheads.
When the attack failed, Hudson and his men retreated to Woodcroft Castle, where the Roundheads laid siege against the castle. Hudson soon surrendered, pleading for mercy. The Roundheads agreed to spare Hudson’s life, granting him safety in the castle.
Hudson later moved into Woodcroft Castle; however, it wasn’t long before he began plotting against the Roundheads again. This time, however, the Roundheads found out about Hudson’s plans and so attacked Woodcroft Castle once again. As Hudson’s men tried to fight off the Roundheads in and around the castle, Hudson escaped to the roof.
Eventually, the Roundheads managed to fight their way up to the roof, where they found Hudson dangling off the ramparts as he tried to hide from the soldiers. Once spotted by the Roundheads, a soldier took his sword and cut off Hudson’s fingers (or hands), sending him falling into the moat below.
Hudson managed to survive the fall but was quickly caught by soldiers on the ground, one of whom then proceeded to cut out his tongue and parade it as a trophy. He was later buried at Denton in Northamptonshire, about 40 miles from where he was killed.
WOODCROFT CASTLE TODAY
In 2016 Wodocroft Castle went back on the market for the first time since 1988. The Grade II listed home, which sits on a 14.5-acre estate, went on the market for £1.5 million.
The Castle features five reception rooms, eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a circular tower, and of course, a wide moat that envelopes the castle.
Despite a number of alterations over the years, the castle has retained many of its period features, including exposed stone walls.
The kitchen has had a number of modern upgrades, including an Aga stove and an island with a sink.
The large master bedroom leads to an en-suite bathroom located in the tower, one of eight bedrooms in the castle. As you can see, this room has been well modernised, with plastered ceilings and walls, as well as a number of radiators.
The tower is thought to be one of the oldest parts of Woodcroft Castle, the room that this bathtub is in is around 750 years old.
Another one of the bedrooms, this one with far less modernization than some of the other bedrooms. While some bedrooms have plastered walls and radiators, this bedroom still features exposed stone walls and a very old open fireplace.
For those who believe in the paranormal, Woodcroft Castle is said to be haunted by the ghost of Michael Hudson. Apparently, locals have heard screams for ‘mercy’ coming from the castle walls.
If you like Woodcroft Castle then check out Stanfield Hall, a property with a very dark history!