SALTWOOD CASTLE

Evening Star, Issue 19003, 27 July 1925, Page 8

SALTWOOD CASTLE

A MEMORABLE EPISODE. Saltwood Castle, near llythe, is in tho market, with seventy-three acres. In December, 1170, when Saltwood Castle was held by the De Broc family, it was the place of assembly of the four knights who rode to Canterbury to kill Thomas a’Bcckct. The castle then existing was one that had been rebuilt in 1154 by Henry de Essex, Baron of Raleigh. Towards the end of the fourteenth century, Archbishop Courtenay again rebuilt Saltwood, using some of the foundations jvhich were still to he seen, and adding two towers, early examples of the perpendicular style, and noteworthy as ono of tho most perfect okl gatehouses in existence. Saltwood is said to have suffered severely by earthquakes in 1580, 1692, and 1755. The history of tho castle goes back to Roman and Saxon times, and just before the Norman Conquest it had been made over to Christ Church, Canterbury. Cra inner exchanged tho castle," with Henry VHL, for other land. Queen Elizabeth stayed there, and Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles 1., drcw r an annual dowry from the estate. For some time Saltwood was the official residence of the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports. In 1791, when only the gatehouse remained intact, Mr William Deedcs bought tho estate, and in 1884 one of his descendants restored the gatehouse and had additions made.