Donnington Castle

Donnington Castle lies on a hill in the village of the same name, in the county of Berkshire in England.

Donnington Castle was founded by Sir Richard Abberbury the Elder in 1386, under a license granted by King Richard II of England. In 1398, the small castle was sold to Thomas Chaucer as a residence for his daughter Alice. Alice married William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, in 1430 and he considerably enlarged the castle. This family later fell out with the Tudor monarchs, and the castle became a royal property.

In 1514 it was given to Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. Apparently he wasn't interested in the upkeep of the castle, as it was in decay when it was returned to the Crown in 1535. During the rest of the 16th century several other castellans kept the castle for the Crown and it was visited by King Henry VIII of England in 1539 and by Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1568.

In the beginning of the English Civil War, in 1643, the castle was owned by the Parliamentarian Parker family. After the First Battle of Newbury it was taken by Royalist forces. They strengthened the castle's defenses by adding earthworks in an irregular star shape to provide gun emplacements. Parliamentarian troops then laid siege to the castle in 1644 and the garrisoned castle held out for 18 months. When the garrison finally surrendered they were allowed to leave. Parliament then voted to demolish Donnington Castle in 1646, leaving only the slender twin-towered gatehouse standing.

At present Donnington Castle can freely be visited, although the gatehouse can not be entered. A very nice little castle.

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