Broughton Castle is located near Banbury, approx. 20 miles from Oxford, England.

This medieval castle (which was incorporated in a Tudor mansion in the 16th century) was owned by the same family for more than 600 years.By the 13th century, the owners were known as de Broughton. It was John de Broughton (owner around 1242 AD) who built the oldest surviving part of the present estate. A lack of an heir led to the sale of the house around 1377 by William of Wykeham, who served as a surveyor for Edward III before becoming Bishop of Winchester and later Chancellor. In the 16th Century, the house underwent extensive remodelling by then owner Sir Richard Fiennes, 6th Baron Saye and Sele. In 1604, King James I and his Queen, Anne of Denmark, were guests at the Broughton Castle. But when war broke out in 1642 between King and Parliament, the castle was beseiged, captured and occupied.

 

Today, the 3-acre moat is more of a circle of serenity than protection from a royal army. The distinguished historian, Sir Charles Oman, in his book on castles described Broughton Castle as "about the most beautiful castle in all England... for sheer loveliness of the combination of water, woods, and picturesque buildings of the later and more decorative age of military architecture". The present Lord Saye and Sele lives in the eastern wing, leaving the rest open to the public for tours during part of the year. The castle was also recently featured as the "home" of one of the characters in the movie "Shakespear in Love."

Want to see more photos?
Ben Broughton has some great pictures from his trip to
the Broughton Castle on His Home Page.