Hedingham Castle
Norman keep and Georgian mansion on the edge of a picturesque English village.
Castle Hedingham, near Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
Hedingham Castle was built in 1133 by Aubrey de Vere, the same year he was created Lord Great Chamberlain of England. His descendants became the Earls of Oxford, a title that would continue for 20 generations.
One of the notable Earls, Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford, was one of the 25 barons who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, signifying the first steps taken towards establishing parliamentary democracy in the country.
Hedingham Castle has hosted many prominent figures over the years, including Henry VIII, who stayed in 1509, and Queen Elizabeth I, who visited in 1561 when the estate was home to the 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere. This Earl has a potential connection to the renowned playwright William Shakespeare – some theories suggest that Edward de Vere could have been the true author behind Shakespeare’s works.
The Hedingham Estate remains privately owned and lived in today by direct descendants of the de Vere, Jason & Demetra Lindsay and their 3 children.