Greasley Castle

Heritage listing

Details The monument includes the standing, earthwork and buried remains of Greasley Castle and associated fishponds. It lies 100m above sea level on a south east facing slope overlooking Gilt Brook. All the standing remains of the castle are Listed Grade II and incorporated into the present farm buildings. A document dated to between 1279 and 1321 records that Greasley, or Gryseleye manor as it was then known, included a dwelling with outbuildings, a windmill, a dovehouse, pasture protected by wood and other land assigned to its use. The manor passed to Nicholas de Cantelupe in 1320 who was granted a licence to crenellate from Edward III in 1340. It was from this time that the building became known as a castle. Although described as a castle its position in the landscape offers little military advantage and implies that the building was more a statement of wealth and status. In form it is comparable to a range of fortified houses. In line with other dignitaries of the time, Nicholas de Cantelupe was keen to emphasize his position and soon after the granting of the licence to crenellate built Beauvale Charterhouse just north of Greasley Castle. One of the reasons for the founding of the Charterhouse was the desire to ensure `the good estate of Archbishop Zouch' the founders `most dear lord and cousin'. The charter was witnessed at Greasley on 9th December 1343 by the archbishop of York, the bishops of Durham, Lincoln and Litchfield and the earls of Derby, Northampton and Huntingdon. Following the de Cantelupe family Greasley fell into the hands of the Zouch family who held it until 1485. At the Battle of Bosworth Lord Zouch took sides with Richard III and was slain, his property forfeit to the crown. The property was given to John Savage in 1486 but in 1608 was bought b

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.