Carisbrooke Castle Chapel and Princess Beatrice Garden

On Tuesday (see post 3 Sept) I took you to see the fortress at Carisbrooke Castle which has been there since Saxon times, but the present castle was begun in about 1100, when the Isle of Wight was granted to the de Redvers family. They raised the great stone shell-keep on its towering mound, and after 1262 the formidable Countess Isabella de Redvers extensively rebuilt the whole stronghold. Following the addition of its double-towered 14th-century gatehouse, Carisbrooke experienced its only serious siege in 1377, beating off a French raiding force.  

After the Spanish Armada passed alarmingly close in 1588, threatening seizure of the Isle of Wight, Carisbrooke was updated as an artillery fortification by surrounding it with 'bastioned' outer earthworks, still impressively visible. Today we are looking at St Nicholas Chapel.

This shot is taken from the inside of this beautiful stain glass window.

Although there has been a chapel on this site since 1070, this building was built by Percy Stone in 1904 to mark the 250th anniversary of the execution of Charles I, who was imprisoned in the castle.

This is the same window taken outside

 St Nicholas Chapel.

King Charles 1's Death Warrant.  Hope you can read it.

Most famous among Carisbrooke's extensive cast of past residents was King Charles I, imprisoned here in 1647-48 after his defeat in the English Civil War. At first comfortably accommodated in the Constable's Lodging, his plots to renew the war later made him a closely guarded captive: an attempt to escape was foiled only when he became wedged in the window bars!

The surrounding architecture of this wonderful window

Another stain glass window

Altar

Views of the magnificent ceiling.

The marvellous organ reaching to the ceiling

Bust of King Charles 1

This is the view of the back of the Chapel and the entrance is where these people are coming in.

Now we are stepping into the garden of Princess Beatrice. 

Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria's youngest daughter and Governor of the Isle of Wight between 1896-1944, made Carisbrooke Castle her summer home after 1914. The Edwardian-style Princess Beatrice garden, designed by TV and radio gardening presenter Chris Beardshaw, was inspired by the princess, and includes a fountain and plantings in the rich colours of the royal arms.

Princess Beatrice enjoying the garden being pushed in her chair by her footman, Jack Kenway White.

English Heitage are grateful to the late Mrs Dorothy Frazer, whose generous bequest and devotion to the island has made the creation of this garden possible. Princess Beatrice also commissioned the altar painting in the tranquil castle chapel, in memory of a son killed in action in 1914.

These next few  shots are of the plants grown in this small garden.  There was a small fountain in the middle of the garden.  
The garden is walled and there were square beds around the fountain mainly in restful colours of green and blue.

Sharon and myself enjoying the garden at the end of a wonderful day at Carisbrooke Castle

This is both the entrance and exit and as we take our leave I hope you have enjoyed all the posts regarding Carisbrooke Castle.
 
If you have missed any of these posts, they can be found at
(Jousting Tues. 27 Aug. Falconry 31 Aug. Tent events 2 Sept.
Carisbrook Castle 3 Sept.)