The castle was built by William I in 1068. Sir Ralph de
Hastings was governor of York castle in the early 1300's.
Robert's son and heir, Walter de Hastings, became Steward to king Henry I and was granted the manor of Ashill in Norfolk. Walter's wife, Hawise, gave him a son, Hugh, who succeeded to his father's estates and to the office of king's Steward. Hugh held, together with his wife Erneburga, the daughter of Hugh de Flamenvile, the manor of Gissing in Norfolk. By her he had two sons. The younger son, Richard, became Rector of Barwell in Leicestershire, William, the elder son, became Steward to king Henry II and, like his father before him, held the Stewardship of St Edmundsbury abbey in Suffolk. William de Hastings married twice, his first wife being Maud, the daughter of Thurston Banaster, by whom he had two sons. Henry, his heir, died without issue and William the younger son, on the death of his brother, inherited the family estates. The second wife of William de Hastings was Ida, daughter of Henry Earl of Ewe. Ida gave her husband two more sons, Thomas and John. Though many illustrious families derived from these early Normans it is the line of Thomas de Hastings that our particular history must follow. One of these descendants was Sir Ralph de Hastings who in the early part of the 14th century held lands in Yorkshire. In 1337, he became sheriff of that county and governor of York castle.
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A few weeks after the English so decisively defeated the French at Crecy, the French king Phillip, in an attempt to raise the siege of Calais, persuaded his allies the Scots to cross the border and invade the north of England. An English army raised by Queen Phillipa met the Scots on October 17th 1346 at a place afterwards known as Nevill's Cross, near Durham. As at Crecy, the English archers carried the day. Sir Ralph Hastings was severely wounded in the battle and died a few days later. He was buried, in accordance with his will, in the abbey of Sulbey Northamptonshire of which he had been patron. His wife Margaret, daughter of Sir William de Herle, chief justice of the court of common pleas, had bore him a son also named Ralph. This Ralph became in 1365 possessed of the manor of Burton in Warwickshire and following the death the previous year of his uncle, Sir Robert de Herle, he inherited the manor of Kirby in Leicestershire which remained the family's main residence for the next 109 years. Sir Ralph de Hastings was governor of York castle and a retainer of Henry Plantagenet duke of Lancaster. In 1377 he became sheriff of Yorkshire. He died in 1398 and was buried with his father at Sulbey.
Sir Ralph's first wife had been Isabel of Sadyngton in Leicestershire whose mother Joyce was the sister of Rodger Bishop of Salisbury. This union produced a daughter who they named Margaret. His second wife was Maud, daughter of Sir Robert de Sutton, of Sutton in Holderness Yorkshire. This second marriage brought him the manors of Sutton and Berwick and produced five sons and a daughter. The eldest son was attained and beheaded in 1405 for his part in the conspiracy against king Henry IV, which also involved the Percy's and the Mortimers. Sir Richard the second son was sheriff of Leicestershire and Warwickshire. His marriage to Elizabeth Beaumont produced no children. The third, and for the purpose of this history, the most important son was Sir Leonard de Hastings. At Kirby Muxloe in 1430 the lady Alice, wife of Sir Leonard de Hastings, gave birth to their eldest child William - afterwards Sir William lord Hastings Baron Hastings of Ashby de la Zouch. At the age of 16, William was presented by his father to Richard Plantagenet duke of York at Fotheringhay castle where he was received as a squire.
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In 1455 William became Ranger of the forest of Were. In that same year his father died leaving vacant the post of sheriff of Leicestershire and Warwickshire to which William was appointed. The year of 1455 also saw the beginning of the conflict between the houses of York and Lancaster which later generations would style the wars of the roses. The death of the duke of York at the battle of Wakefield deprived William Hastings of a powerful friend and patron, however, the duke's son Edward earl of March revived Yorkist hopes by defeating the Lancastrians at Mortimer's Cross just over a month later. On reaching London he was received by the citizens as their king. The new king - perhaps mindful of the esteem in which William de Hastings had been held by the late duke of York, not to mention his service at Mortimers Cross - showered Hastings with many offices and honours. Over the years, Hastings became a very influential man. He was Master of the mints of London and Calais, Steward of the honour of Leicester and the manors and castles of Donnington, Higham Ferrers and Daventry together with the king's manors in Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Huntingdon and part of the duchy of Lancaster. He was constable of the castles of Leicester, Higham Ferrers, Donnington and, together with his brother Ralph, joint constable of the castle of Rockingham. Also he held the Stewardship of the royal manors, within the forest of Rockingham, was ranger of Leicester forest and Chamberlain of the royal household.
On July 26th 1461 he was created baron Hastings of Ashby. In this same year he was invested with the order of the garter, probably after the battle of Towton which was fought in March of that year. Subsequently he obtained the castle and rape of Hastings in Sussex and some years later, was appointed constable of Beaumaris on Anglesey. During the 1460's William lord Hastings was involved with England's foreign policy, holding negotiations with the ambassador of Lewis XI of France and arranging the details for the marriage of King Edward's sister Margaret to Charles duke of Burgundy.
During the early part of Edward IV reign his hold on the crown was anything but secure. He still had a powerful enemy in Margaret of Anjou the wife of the deposed king Henry VI. With Scottish and French aid, she rallied her forces, but was defeated at Hedgely moor in 1464 and forced to seek refuge in France with her cousin Lewis XI. Later in 1471 she made another attempt to seize power and, as a result, Edward IV together with his brother Richard duke of Gloucester, William lord Hastings and a small retinue fled the country. From Doncaster they hurried to Kings Lynn in Norfolk and embarked for the continent in a small vessel, which the king, according to legend, paid for with his cloak and the promise of further rewards when he returned. They reached Alcmaer in Holland and from there travelled to the court of Edward's brother in law Charles the Bold duke of Burgundy. Charles gave the fugitives his protection and supplied the means for a return to England. Edward's fleet set sail on March 11th 1471 but the first attempt at a landing on the English coast was repulsed, steering northward, they eventually disembarked at Ravenspur in Yorkshire.
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Edward's support was strong and on April 14th 1471 the issue of who would wear the crown was decided at the battle of Barnet where William lord Hastings commanded 3000 cavalry. William's brother in law, the earl of Warwick (the king maker), commanded the opposing army. During the battle Warwick was slain and his army was routed, but it was at Tewksbury that the hopes of Margaret of Anjou were finally dashed when she and her son, the young prince Edward, were taken prisoner and brought before Edward IV. It is said that the king, in a fit of temper, struck prince Edward with his gauntlet and that this was the prelude to the greater violence that followed. The king's brother Richard duke of Gloucester, together with William lord Hastings and two other lords bundled the young prince into an adjoining chamber where they stabbed him to death. It must be said that later generations have charged Gloucester (later king Richard III) with every species of crime and it may be that the above account of prince Edward's untimely end is merely a product of Tudor propaganda.
In 1471, William lord Hastings was appointed Captain of Calais an office that he held for twelve years. A year later he became constable of Nottingham castle, keeper of the gate and warden of Sherwood. Other appointments at this time were Chamberlain of the Exchequer, chief warden of the high peak and of Tutbury and chief ranger of the parks and chases of the duke of Clarence. Lord Hastings also obtained the very lucrative wardship of Mary daughter of Sir Thomas Hungerford. He arranged that in due course his son Edward should marry her and that if Edward should die beforehand then one of his younger brothers would take her to wife.
In 1474 the king, then in Nottingham, issued letters patent giving licence to lord Hastings to enclose 3000 acres of land and wood at Ashby, 2000 acres at Bagworth and Thornton and a further 2000 at Kirby. Licence was also given to wall up and embattle his estates in these places. Ashby castle was built as a result and this magnificent building, remarkable in later years as the temporary prison of Mary Queen of Scots, became the family residence. That same year Hastings was appointed Constable and Steward of the Honour of Tutbury
In 1475, lord Hastings, in command of forty men at arms and three hundred archers crossed with other forces of Edward IV to France. Lewis XI was anxious not to involve France in another war and made a treaty with Edward at the bridge of Pecquigny. Lewis paid the English king a large sum of money and a yearly pension; lord Hastings share of these spoils was 2000 crowns. It is a measure of his wealth that lord Hastings kept as retainers two lords, nine knights, fifty eight squires and twenty gentlemen of note.
By his wife, Katherine daughter of Richard Neville earl of Salisbury and Alice Montagu, he had five children of which Edward was the eldest. It seems that lord Hastings was of an amorous nature and one of his affairs is noteworthy in so far as it has a bearing on his death. Lord Hastings was very taken with a beautiful young girl by the name of Jane Wainstead of Cheap-side with whom he had an affair. In order to protect her honour her father arranged a marriage with a wealthy goldsmith named Mathew Shore. Even though she now was a respectable married woman, Hastings tried to renew his association with her, though she repulsed his advances. However, she came under the eye of the king and soon became his mistress.
Edward IV died somewhat unexpectedly in 1483 at the age of 42 and his son the 13 year old prince Edward was proclaimed king. The late kings brother Richard duke of Gloucester was appointed protector and William Hastings, who was a member of the council, supported the appointment. Gloucester now moved to secure the crown for himself. Realising that in this matter he would not get the support of his long time friend the powerful lord Hastings he took steps to remove this obstacle to his ambitions. Hastings and other members of the council were summoned to attend Gloucester at the tower on June 13th 1483 During the meeting Gloucester accused Hastings of treason and conspiracy, had him taken to the tower courtyard and beheaded on a block of building timber. Jane Shore, Hastings erstwhile mistress, was also implicated and was lodged as a prisoner in the Tower. Even though Jane cleared herself before the council, she was handed over to an ecclesiastical court whose tribunal forced her to walk barefoot from the bishop of London's palace to St Paul's. She died some years later in poverty.
William lord Hastings was buried in St George's chapel Windsor close to his friend and sovereign Edward IV. The duke of Gloucester now claimed the throne on the grounds that Edward's marriage with Elizabeth Woodville was invalid under cannon law. He became king Richard III in June 1483 and it may be said that his accession was received without surprise and perhaps with some relief for the country could ill afford another long minority. After lord Hastings's execution his lands were confiscated, however Richard III repented of this harsh measure and restored most of the property. Hastings's widow, the lady Katherine, acted as executrix.
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At the age of ten Edward, son of William lord Hastings was invested with the order of the bath. He was summonsed to King Richard's parliament of 1484 as Edward lord Hastings of Hungerford in right of his wife Mary heiress of Thomas lord Hungerford, Botreaux, Moulins and Moels. It can be imagined what the young lord Hastings feelings were toward his sovereign, the murderer of his father, and it is not surprising that he entered into an understanding with the Stanley's whose treachery at Bosworth cost King Richard his crown and his life. The victor of Bosworth, Henry Tudor, claimed the throne and as Henry VII he restored to Edward the remainder of his estates. Edward lord Hastings spent much of his time at court and his only son George was a playmate of the king's own son prince Henry (later Henry VIII). Edward's daughter Ann married Thomas Stanley though Edward did not live to see the payments - as laid down in the marriage contract - made, for he died on November 8th 1506. He was interred at Blackfriars chapel London. In 1511 his widow married Richard Sacheverell receiver general of her late husband's estates.
George only son of Edward Hastings was born in 1490. Like his father much of his time was spent at court, and Henry VII gave him the office of captain of his personal guard. A few years after the death of his father George petitioned his friend now king Henry VIII; " that he might have the benefit of his own marriage and marry at his own liberty; and also to have special livery of the manors of Ashby de la Zouch and Barrow, the Stewardships and bailiwicks of the town of Leicester, and all those belonging to it, within the county, together with all the offices of the forest and chase of Leicester," binding himself to pay the sum of 4000 marks to the king. He also obtained the office of keeper to the several parks of Frith, Beaumondleys, Barrow, Tolee and Stridley. In 1509 he was appointed Steward of Enderbey. Four years later he accompanied the king of whose privy council he was a member, on an expedition to France where he fought at Guinegaste known as the battle of the spurs and took part in the sieges of Serouane and Tournay. In 1529 by favour of the king he was granted the manor of Evington and in the November of that year he was created earl of Huntingdon.
The 1536 act of parliament by which many of the lesser monastic houses were dissolved caused great resentment particularly in the north. The northern counties rose in rebellion led by a lawyer named Robert Aske. George Hastings was sent by the king to suppress this insurrection, which came to be known as the pilgrimage of grace. After the dissolution of the monasteries, which incidentally did nothing to harm Hastings pocket, he retired from public life with the intention of living quietly at Ashby, however the king had other plans and his retirement was cut short when a royal commission ordered him northward again to stamp out the last of the rebels.
This turned out to be his last service for the king. He spent his remaining years at his manor of Stoke Poges and died there on March 24, 1544. Eight years later his son, Edward Lord Loughborough, built the chapel here that carries the Hastings name. George Hastings left five sons and three daughters by his wife Anne the daughter of Henry Stafford 2nd duke of Buckingham.
In the church of St Helen's at Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire there can be seen, in the chapel dedicated to the Hastings family, an ornate tomb; its recumbent figures bearing witness to the earthly rank and position of Francis 2nd earl of Huntingdon and his wife Catherine Pole.
Francis Hastings was born in 1513 during the reign of Henry VIII. He was the son of George 3rd baron Hastings and 1st earl of Huntingdon and his wife Ann Stafford. When only fifteen years old Francis was summoned to parliament under the title Lord Hastings and at about this time he became steward of the monastery of Laund, St Mary's Coventry and steward of the collegiate church of St Mary's, Leicester. Two days before the coronation of Anne Boleyn, at the age of nineteen, he was created Knight of the Bath. In this same year he married Catherine Pole a great granddaughter of George duke of Clarence. By this marriage Francis greatly increased the fortunes of the Hastings family and extended its influence. It will be remembered that Francis's father, George, had been the childhood friend of young prince Henry ( later Henry VIII ) and that he had retained the affection and favour of his King until his death in 1544. Francis not only inherited his fathers estates but also the goodwill of his sovereign
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Henry Tudor died just three years after his friend George Hastings and the crown passed to his nine year old son Edward. Francis Hastings commanded the royal bodyguard and carried St Edward's staff at the coronation of the young king. The duke of Somerset was made protector of the realm, however, in the ensuing power struggle, Somerset fell and John Dudley earl of Warwick seized power, creating himself duke of Northumberland. Dudley was generous to his supporters and in 1549 conferred on Hastings the order of the Garter, a reward for conducting Somerset to the Tower. Beaumont, of Cole Orton, a near neighbour of Francis Hastings who had backed Somerset was executed and his estates were given to Hastings. Beaumont's widow was left homeless, but the countess of Huntingdon pleaded with her husband and he restored the mansion and estate of Gracedieu to the unfortunate lady. In 1550, Francis commanded an expedition against the French. Soon after, he was appointed lord lieutenant of Derbyshire and Rutland. He was also a member of king Edward's privy council and in 1552 he sat as one of the peers at the trial of the duke of Somerset.
Edward VI was destined to wear the crown for only six years. The next in line of succession according to the will of Henry VIII was to be Edward's half sister Mary. However, the duke of Northumberland formed a plan to set aside Mary and replace her with her cousin the Lady Jane Grey, who incidently, was also Northumberland's daughter in law. Francis Hastings threw in his lot with Northumberland, but the support for Mary Tudor was to strong and the coup defeated. For his part in the affair Francis was imprisoned in the tower on July 9th 1553. His countess, Catherine, wrote to her uncle Cardinal Reginald Pole, then in Brussels, begging him to intercede with the Queen on behalf of the imprisoned earl. Francis was also supported by his brother Edward lord Loughborough, a staunch catholic and high in the Queens favour. Their efforts doubtless saved Francis from the block. Francis Hastings was released after a few months. Although vigorous in the Queens service from that time, he was at heart a protestant and therefore never wholly trusted by her. During Queen Mary's last illness he was expelled from court and returned to his estates at Ashby. The Queen passed away in the early hours of the morning of November17th 1558 and Francis could perhaps be forgiven for thinking her death would be to his advantage - surely times would be better with the protestant Elizabeth as Queen. In fact Elizabeth appears to have been equally cool towards him and he passed his last days in obscurity.
Francis Hastings died in the spring of 1561 at Ashby surrounded by his large family. Catherine countess of Huntingdon lived on for fifteen more years. She died on the 23rd of September 1576. Francis's eldest son Henry, who in later times became known as the puritan earl, succeeded his father.
