Benington Castle

Benington Castle is a ruined castle in the village of Benington, near Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England at grid reference TL296236. It has been protected since 1936 as a scheduled ancient monument.[1]

Benington Castle folly

A motte-and-bailey castle was built in the late 11th or early 12th century, founded by Peter de Valognes. In 1136, Roger de Valognes built a stone castle with a keep. In 1177, King Henry II ordered that the tower be demolished but in 1192 the castle was in use again. It was finally destroyed in 1212, after Robert Fitzwalter rebelled against King John.

Only the foundations of the keep and some earthworks now remain from the original structure.

Benington Lordship

The site of the castle has been modified by the construction of a Georgian house, Benington Lordship, and the landscaping of its gardens. In 1832, George Proctor added a neo-Norman gatehouse, summerhouse and curtain wall.

Gardens

The park and gardens of Benington Lordship are listed as Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens.[2] The gardens occupy 7 acres and have been praised by the gardening correspondent of the Financial Times.[3]

A stream which has been dammed appears to have formed part of the medieval defences, but its present appearance is the result of later landscaping.[1]

St Peter's Church

The nearby medieval church of St Peter is also set within a bailey, but it is not included within the boundaries of the ancient monument as defined by Historic England. The church is protected by its own heritage listing (Grade I).

Access

The castle is in the grounds of Benington Lordship, which is privately owned. Public access is provided on a limited basis, for example under the auspices of the National Gardens Scheme.[4]

References

Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1007844)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
"Benington Lordship".
"How to get the best out of this year's National Gardens Scheme". Financial Times. 2014.
"Benington Lordship". Retrieved 19 June 2018.

Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, The David & Charles Book of Castles, David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3

Listed buildings in Hertfordshire

Grade I

Broxbourne	Eleanor Cross Wormleybury
Dacorum	130–136 Piccotts End Ashridge Business School Beechwood Park Berkhamsted School Old Building St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead
East Hertfordshire	Aston Bury Manor Balls Park Benington Castle (remains) Hertford Castle Gatehouse Hunsdon House Rye House Gatehouse Scott's Grotto Shire Hall, Hertford St James' Church, Stanstead Abbotts St Leonard's Church, Bengeo St Mary's Church, Ware St Mary the Virgin's Church, Little Hormead Waytemore Castle (remains) Woodhall Park (Heath Mount School)
Hertsmere	Tyttenhanger House
North Hertfordshire	Hitchin Priory Holy Trinity Church, Weston St John the Baptist, Royston St Katharine's Church, Ickleford St Mary's Church, Ashwell St Mary's Church, Baldock St Mary's Church, Hitchin St Mary and St Thomas's Church, Knebworth Royston Cave
St Albans	Clock Tower Old Gorhambury House (remains) Rothamsted Manor St Albans Cathedral St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead St Mary's Church, Redbourn St Michael's Church, St Albans Verulamium
Stevenage	Rooks Nest House St Nicholas' Church
Three Rivers	Moor Park
Watford	Holy Rood Church, Watford St Mary's Church, Watford
Welwyn Hatfield	Brocket Hall Hatfield House/Old Palace New St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence

Grade II*

Broxbourne	Rawdon House Theobalds House
Dacorum	173 High Street, Berkhamsted Ashlyns Hall Bridgewater Monument The Bury, Hemel Hempstead Cell Park Dean Incent's House Gaddesden Place Golden Parsonage The Old Bell, Hemel Hempstead St Peter's Church, Great Berkhamstead Tring Park Mansion
East Hertfordshire	All Nations Christian College All Saints' Church, Hertford Almshouses, Buntingford Bayfordbury Chapel at St Edmund's College, Ware County Hall Cromer Windmill Fanhams Hall Goldings Haileybury and Imperial Service College Hare Street House Hanbury Manor Marden Hill House Much Hadham Palace Pishiobury Park Mansion St Andrew's Church, Buckland Stansted Hall Yeomanry House, Hertford Youngsbury Stable Block
Hertsmere	Aldenham House Dyrham Park lodges and arched gateway Hilfield Castle Knightsland Farm House Lululaund Salisbury Hall Wrotham Park
North Hertfordshire	All Saints Church, Radwell All Saints Church, Willian The Cloisters, Letchworth St Nicholas' Church, Hinxworth Hinxworth Place Homewood, Knebworth Knebworth House Princess Helena College Spirella Building St Margaret of Antioch's Church, Bygrave St Martin's Church, Knebworth St Mary Magdalene's Church, Caldecote St Paul's Walden Bury St Vincent's Church, Newnham
St Albans	All Saints Pastoral Centre Court House, St Albans New Gorhambury House Redbournbury Mill St Leonard's Church, Sandridge St Nicholas Church, Harpenden St Peter's Church, St Albans St Stephen's Church, St Albans Westwick Cottage
Three Rivers	Hunton Park Langleybury Oxhey Chapel Redheath
Watford	The Grove The Mrs Elizabeth Fuller Free School building
Welwyn Hatfield	Ayot House Digswell Viaduct Mill Green Museum and Mill Old St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence Shaw's Corner
Other boroughs	Stevenage

Grade II

Broxbourne	Broxbourne railway station Cheshunt Great House (remains)
Dacorum	Ashlyns School Goldfield Mill The Green Dragon, Flaunden Inns of Court War Memorial The Mansion, Berkhamsted Pendley Manor Rex Cinema Rossway Shendish Manor Stocks House St John's Church, Boxmoor
East Hertfordshire	All Saints' Church, Hockerill Benson Memorial Church Brent Pelham Windmill Buntingford Manor House Button Snap Christ Church, Ware Hertford Museum Tooke House Hopper's Hall The Horns, Bull's Green Little Munden Primary School Panshanger orangery, conservatory and stables Red House, Buntingford Rowneybury Cottage St John's Church, Letty Green The Tilbury, Datchworth The White Horse, Burnham Green The White Horse, Hertford
Hertsmere	Bhaktivedanta Manor The Chequers, Potters Bar Duke of York, Potters Bar Dyrham Park Country Club The Green Man, Potters Bar Ladbrooke School The Lion, Potters Bar Oakmere House Potters Bar War Memorial Shenley Hall Shenley Lodge Wall Hall The White Hart, South Mimms The White Horse, Potters Bar Wyllyotts Manor
North Hertfordshire	Ashwell Bury Ashwell War Memorial Breachwood Green Mill British Schools Museum Howgills Lannock Mill, Weston Letchworth Garden City railway station Lytton Mausoleum Minsden Chapel Putteridge Bury St George's Church, Letchworth St Nicholas' Church, Norton St Mary's Church, Letchworth Stagenhoe
St Albans	The Blue Anchor The Boot Childwickbury Manor The Cock Colney Heath Mill Fleur de Lys Hare and Hounds The Lower Red Lion The Old Kings Arms Ye Olde Fighting Cocks The Queen's Head, Sandridge Rose and Crown The Six Bells St Albans School Sopwell House Sopwell Nunnery (ruins) Verulam House The White Lion
Stevenage	The Barclay School The Thomas Alleyne Academy Trigg's Barn/37 High Street, Stevenage
Three Rivers	Croxley Green Windmill
Watford	High Elms Manor The Old Station House St John's Church, Watford Watford Grammar School for Boys Watford Palace Theatre
Welwyn Hatfield	The Beehive, Welwyn Garden City The Brocket Arms Digswell House The Eight Bells, Hatfield Hope and Anchor, Welham Green The Horse and Groom, Hatfield The Green Man, Hatfield The Red Lion, Hatfield Tolmers Park The Wrestlers, Hatfield

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