The Manor was fortified against armed raiders but was also a sumptuous country estate house featuring a 72-foot-high tower and keep, a large banqueting hall, an impressive undercroft, luxurious apartments for visitors and owners, extensive kitchens, a large barn, a well, fortified gatehouses and walls. The Manor is probably most famous as being owned by the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury who was married to Bess of Hardwick and was appointed by Queen Elizabeth 1 as Gaoler of Mary Queen of Scots for 20 years. During this period, Mary was jailed at Wingfield Manor on 3 separate occasions, and it was her favourite residence during her long period of imprisonment. 

The Manor was later the subject of two sieges during the English Civil War, and during the second siege was damaged by Parliamentary cannon fire. At the end of the Civil War, Parliament ordered that the Manor should be sleighted (destroyed) to prevent further military use. However, this was only partially carried out. Towards the end of the 17th century, Immanuel Halton secured ownership of the Manor and constructed a family home in the ruined banqueting hall. Halton was one of England's first astronomers and educated and mentored John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal. 

In the 19th Century, the Manor became a major tourist attraction and was visited by many famous people, including Charles Dickens and D H Lawrence.  In the 1950s, the UK Government took on formal responsibility for the maintenance of the Manor and also for organising public access. Latterly, this Government duty is being discharged through English Heritage, but unfortunately, its condition has deteriorated to the extent that it is no longer safe for the public to visit. The Manor also features prominently in literature by Shakespeare, Lawrence and many others, and its impressive remains have been used to film major films and television programmes.

 A local campaign to address the precarious condition of the Manor has commenced, and Wingfield Station 1947 has recently organised a 10-day free public exhibition on the history of the Manor, plus a series of talks. A Wingfield Manor guide book is available in our SHOP, and Dr Nigel Hunt, local expert on the Manor, has kindly recorded a 25-minute video on the amazing history of the Manor, which can be viewed here:

DR HUNT VIDEO COMING SOON

If you have any information about the Manor, please contact Dr Hunt using his email: nigelhunt0@gmail.com