Poor House, Framlingham Castle, Framlingham, Suffolk

View of the poor house from the wall walk. A poorhouse was originally set up inside the castle walls in the 17th century in what was once the castle's Great Hall. That poor house was forced to close, but this poor house was built here in 1729. The castle itself was built by the Earl of Norfolk in 1190-1200 after Henry II had his previous residence dismantled. It was at the centre of the struggle between the Bigod barons and the Crown. Mary Tudor gathered her supporters here in 1553 before being crowned Queen. It was also used as a prison in the 16th century, before its use as a poor house. This site is now in the care of English Heritage (2011).

Location

Suffolk Framlingham

Period

Georgian (1714 - 1836)

Tags

castle poor welfare charity philanthropy wall queen medieval (1066 - 1484) english heritage