Timeline
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c 1110 |
 |
Aubrey de Vere born |
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 |
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1141 |
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Aubrey de Vere created Earl of Oxford |
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Aubrey de Vere is created Earl of Oxford by Matilda,
when she is declared queen
during the civil war with Stephen
I. This promotion probably motivates him to start building Hedingham.
But the de Vere family remain the poorest comital (earl's) family
of their day, with an income of around £800 a year. An 'average'
earl would be worth around double this amount. |
1191 |
|
Aubrey de Vere dies |
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Aubrey dies, having lived into his eighties. |
1215 |
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Civil war breaks out |
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Civil war breaks out following King
John's repudiation of Magna Carta. Robert de Vere, Aubrey's
son, declares for the rebels and opposes the king. |
October 1215 |
|
Rochester falls |
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In October Rochester falls to John after a seven-week siege. The defeat of the garrison there discourages other rebels. |
1216 |
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King John moves into East Anglia |
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King
John, who is at war with his barons, moves into East Anglia,
taking castles without a fight. Colchester and Framlingham fall
quickly. Hedingham is persuaded to surrender, perhaps following
a very short siege of a few days. |
1217 |
|
Hedingham restored to the de Veres |
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|
Hedingham is restored to the de Veres following John's death in October 1216. |
1490s |
|
Henry VII comes to stay |
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Henry
VII is entertained at the castle by Aubrey's descendant,
John de Vere. The Tudor buildings, including the present bridge
to the castle, are added around this time. |
1561 |
|
Elizabeth comes to stay |
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Queen
Elizabeth I, aged 28, stays at Hedingham for a few days. Edward
de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, becomes one of her favourites
and is a celebrated court poet. |
1625 |
|
Henry de Vere dies |
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Henry de Vere, the 18th Earl of Oxford, dies. He
is the last member of the family to live in the castle. During his
lifetime some of the fabric of the castle's bailey building is dismantled. |
1703 |
|
Death of the last de Vere |
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The last of the de Veres, called Aubrey, dies. |
1918 |
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The floors and ceilings destroyed |
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Soldiers stationed on the roof during the First
World War light a fire to keep warm and burn down all the floors
and ceilings of the castle. They are later restored. |
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