sustainability on the chalky soils of the surrounding Downland. These farms are increasingly coming back under the management of the Norfolk estate having been previously been farmed by tenants. A glance at this year’s programme of events indicates the
Above: The Chapel is the finest Victorian room in the castle and took its inspiration from Lincoln Cathedral and Westminster
Abbey. Top right:
The collection of armour in Arundel’s Armoury was brought together by the 15th Duke.
Above right: Bust of
Queen Adeliza of Louvain who was granted Arundel Castle in 1138
castle to live and stay a part of the community. In the beautifully impressive Barons’ Hall with its hammerbeam roof and collection of French tapestries, we hold events and parties. And we have also brought in medieval encampments, jousting and educational programmes for children which make the history come alive. We are increasingly popular as a film and television drama location and this is partly because Arundel closely resembles Windsor Castle where the royal family do not allow any filming. We have represented Windsor Castle in The Madness of King George and also in the recent film, The Young Victoria (the marriage nuptials scene was filmed here, too).” The Duchess has also transformed the grounds and
gardens, which cover 30 acres around the castle itself. The vegetable gardens and Victorian greenhouses have been impressively restored while a White Garden has been created next to the Fitzalan Chapel where all the Dukes of Norfolk are buried in the family vaults. Her influence is also to be seen on the estate’s farms where she is promoting
62 BRITAIN
progress that has been made to sustain the prosperity of the castle into another century. There are car and motorcycle rallies, medieval tournaments, murder mystery plays, archery, fencing and the Arundel Festival which combines music and theatre every summer. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of a visit to this
West Sussex landmark is its relationship with the Catholic Church and the family’s long-standing devotion to the faith. The Fitzalan Chapel, founded in 1390 by the 4th Earl of Arundel, is a striking and moving example of the 19th-century Catholic Revival in England and remains the family chapel to this day. The building is a fine example of Gothic architecture with its carved timber roof and choir stalls and the carved stone tombs of the family vaults. In 1879 it was decreed that the Fitzalan Chapel did not form part of the adjacent Protestant parish church but was henceforth an independent ecclesiastical building. A glass wall divides the Chapel from the parish church, an anomaly rarely found in English churches and therefore of great interest to the many who visit every year. In addition to this, the Duke of Norfolk is not only the nation’s premier Duke but also the Earl Marshal of
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100