Whaddya Saye?

sixteenth century, this land (Bloxham) came into the possession of the Fiennes family, whose head held the title Lord Saye and Sele, one of the more evocative names of English history. They established their home next door at Broughton Castle, and the Manor of Broughton became Bloxham's smarter brother.

Then the eighth Lord Saye and Sele (known by some as "Old Subtlety") brought treachery and sedition to Broughton.

In the pre-match warm-up for the English Civil War, most of the enemies of Charles I met in this castle; Pym, Hampden and Brook, traitors all.

But - because their side won - they became heroes of the English Revolution, fathers of Parliamentary Democracy.

Broughton Castle itself helped to create that history. With the Royalist Headquarters less than twenty miles away at Oxford, it held out against all hostilities within its substantial moat, until the king was done.

For those brought up on the image of principled righteousness presented by Parliamentary leaders might find it useful to know that most of the early conspirators were also members of the Providence Island Company, a trading and slaving concern, and that their displeasure towards the King might just have been incurred when he failed to grant them the trading privileges (monopoly) they wanted.

Today, Broughton Castle sits, the image of calm and graciousness, within a ring of placid water, now more of a leisure amenity than a military asset.

The History of Doilies

Oolite