Carisbrooke Castle
"In
Elizabeth's reign, when preparations were made on the
south coast to repel the Spanish Armada, very elaborate
outworks were planned and executed at this castle,
entirely surrounding it with fortifications of the then
new type, escarp and ditch and ravelin and
redan, which exist at the present
time: but they were never
wanted, and only served use-
fully as a promenade for the
royal victim, King Charles, in
his imprisonment.
Charles having escaped from
his durance with the army at
Hampton Court (November 2, 1647), rode to Titchfield, the Earl of Southampton's
place, whence he might have sailed by Portsmouth Harbour to the Continent, as
his intention was; but, by a mistake. Colonel Hammond, the Governor of the Isle
of Wight, was brought to Titchfield, and he conducted the King to Carisbrooke,
where he became again a prisoner. Here three attempts seem to have been made,
chiefly by some gentlemen of the island, to give him freedom during the twelve
months of his detention."
Extract from "The Castles of England: Their Story and Structure" (Archive)
Carisbrooke Castle is a English Heritage property with free entry for English Heritage members.
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