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Rockingham Castle

With RoadTour you can hear about Rockingham Castle and over 1500 other UK Heritage sites via your SatNav or Mobile as you drive! Pub & Restaurant guides also available. Buy RoadTour now online for your vacation to the UK...

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“Overlooking the thatched and slated cottages of a small yet picturesque town is Rockingham Castle, one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited buildings. The castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror shortly after his Norman conquest. William also created Rockingham Forest under the original definition of the word forest – ‘an area of land reserved for hunting by the King’. Although there were separate landowners it was only the King that was allowed to hunt for wild boar and deer. Peasants and landowners could collect dead wood but no trees were allowed to be cut down. Permission was even needed to graze livestock in certain areas! During the castle’s 1000 year history, it has only had two owners – the monarchy and the Watson family who continue to reside there. The castle was neglected and fell to ruin in the late 15th to early 16th centuries, at which point it was leased by King Henry VIII to a wealthy local landowner, Edward Watson. Many extensions and refurbishments were carried out until the property was bought fully by Sir Lewis Watson in the early 17th century. Charles Dickens, a close friend of Richard and Levinia Watson, ancestors of the current owners, is said to have got inspiration for Chesney Wold, an upper-class home in his novel Bleak House, from his numerous stays at the house. ”

Address:

Rockingham, Market Harborough, Leicestershire
LE16 8TH
Visit Website

Opening Hours:

23 Mar-30 Jun: Sun, Bank Holidays 12-5pm
Jul-Sep: Tue, Sun, Bank holiday Mon 12-5pm

Prices:

Adult: £8.50
Child: £5
Concession: £7.50
Family: £22

Facilties:

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“Brilliant information, have used several of the pubs and visited many of the properties. Some that I didn’t know were so close to home. Keep up the good work.”
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Graham, London

“The content is good and the level of detail about right, enough to pique your interest but not so much that you feel you're attending a lecture.”
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John, UK

“The Audio commentary on the Garmin was well narrated and definitely had the feel of the audio guides you get when you are walking around the landmarks themselves”.
Linda, New Jersey

“Finding atmospheric pubs with good food is always a challenge when you don't know the area and can be stressful when you're hungry and tired!!”
David, Essex

“Road Tour has found us some great pubs which have made our journeys all the more enjoyable. Every place it's suggested has been a winner.”
Nikki, Cambridgeshire'

“The heritage commentary is really informative and entertaining – it’s great to discover the background to the brown tourist signs we normally whizz by on the motorway.”
Michael, Reading

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“It doesn't intrude on the journey it complements it with just enough information if you are not stopping at the attraction.”
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