Castle Overview: Hazlewood Castle History
The recorded history of Hazlewood Castle starts with the Domesday
Book carried out for King William.
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The Domesday Book introduced for the first time taxation
to the country. The entry is for Sir Mauger the Vavasour residing
in the Hall of a Thane at Hazlewood.
(Mauger was a Saxon and they only had the one name! The
Normans introduced the second name as a defining name i.e.
your title or occupation). He was given his name by the De
Percy's. |
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The Duke of Northumbria who had been given Northumbria, which
began at The Wash and stretched up the east coast to Scotland,
by King William. He was a vassal to the King. The name Vavasour
described Mauger as the vassal of a vassal or the tenant for
a greater tenant. |
In 1283 Sir William built on the site of the Hall of a Thane a
manor house i.e. Great Hall and Pele Tower but as a result of the
Barons' Wars he applied to the King to crenellate and fortify his
manor. The licence was granted in 1290, transforming the Hall of
a Thane into a castle and his title went to a Baron as Barons only
were allowed to live in a castle.
The 29th March 1461 saw the War of the Roses take place on Towton
Moor, which is directly in front of the Castle to the south and
south east (which is the valley of the River Cock which ran red
with blood from this battle for many a day after the fight had finished.
70,000 people taking part with 28,000 killed).
The Tudor reign then followed (all the families from Mauger through
to the Carmelites of 1996 were Catholic). When Henry outlawed the
Catholic Church, priest holes were added to the Tudor Tower and
an underground passage went to Crossroads Farm on the A1/A64 crossroads.
These were imperative as the priest if caught would be hung, drawn
and quartered and the person aiding or abetting him hung!
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In 1908 the Vavasours leave Hazlewood after 900 years and
go to the Awatere Valley near Marlborough in New Zealand,
and begin vineyards.
Mr Simpson, a solicitor, bought the Castle and he and descendent
families were here until 1953. During the Second World War
from 1939 to June 1953 the Castle was requisitioned as a maternity
hospital. |
Mr Fawcett then bought the Castle and they still reside just down
the lane from the Castle (Mr Fawcett married the great grand-daughter
of the Vavasours, so a member of the family moved back on site for
a few years.)
In 1958 the Castle was sold to a Mr Donald Hart, who expressed
a desire to the Bishop of Leeds that the Castle would make a nice
place to be used as a retreat.
To avoid gift taxes the Castle was sold to the Carmelite Friars
who opened the Castle in 1971 as a retreat until 1996, when it was
closed and put up for sale.
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Hazlewood Castle Hotel opened on the 1st October 1997 having
been sympathetically restored. Please drive carefully within
the grounds, looking after our bunnies and Hazlewood black
cats! Old Tom sits on the reception steps - feel free to stroke
him! (he's only 5 years old really). |
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