Maxstoke Castle

Maxstoke Castle is located in Maxstoke, near Birmingham in Warwickshire, England. It was built in 1345 by Sir William de Clinton, the 1st Earl of Huntingdon, as a fortified residence surrounded by a moat. The castle was constructed during the medieval period, reflecting the defensive needs and social status of the English nobility at that time.

After Sir William de Clinton died in 1354, his widow Juliana Leybourne continued to live at Maxstoke Castle. She remained there even after remarrying, maintaining the castle as a family home. In 1437, the castle changed hands when Humphrey Stafford, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, acquired it through an exchange of manors. Stafford made additions to the structure, enhancing its form and function.

The castle survived the centuries largely intact, which is uncommon for medieval fortifications. In the 17th century, the Fetherston-Dilke family took ownership, linking Maxstoke Castle to nearby Packwood House through marriage. During the English Civil War (1642–1651), the castle was held by Parliamentary forces. Captain Layfield served as the first known governor in 1642-43, followed by Henry Kendall Sr. and his son Henry Kendall Jr., who commanded the garrison between 1644 and 1645.

Maxstoke Castle also holds historical artifacts of note. Among these is a 15th-century chair used during Henry VII’s coronation following the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. A table associated with Sir Everard Digby, a conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, is also preserved there. Additionally, the castle contains a ‘Whispering Door’ originally from Kenilworth Castle, which was relocated to Maxstoke at a later date.