Broughton Castle from the Southwest showing Gardens and Sun-dial 
HOUSES WITH A HISTORY 
BROUGHTON CASTLE 
I^Y P. H. Ditchfield, M.A., F.S.A. 
A POUT two miles distant from the old town 
^ ^ of Banbury, famous for its cakes, for the 
mythical fine lady who “rode a white horse” accom¬ 
panied with the tinkling of many bells, and for 
much else that need not now be chronicled, stands 
the noble Broughton Castle. It has passed through 
many a scene of storm and stress during its life 
of six centuries; but Time has dealt gently with 
its strong walls or been defied by them; and guarded 
by its faithful moat, it still keeps watch over the 
lands of its lord, and has many memories to recall 
of the exciting scenes which it has witnessed. 
Indeed, Broughton Castle has adapted itself to 
the needs of modern luxury and comfort, and 
though its walls and guarded gate seem to frown 
darkly on an intruder, within it is the perfection 
of a twentieth century nobleman’s residence. Its 
fortunes are bound up with those of its noble owners, 
the Lords Saye and Sele, whose family name is 
Fiennes. They have owned the castle since the 
middle of the fifteenth century. The history of 
Saye and Sele is the history of England. Hardly 
a great event happens, but they have a hand in it. 
We meet them at every turn, and return to them 
at every crisis, d hey are descended from the 
union of two great houses, the de Sayes and the 
de Fiennes, representatives of whom came over 
with the Conqueror and fought in the battle of 
Hastings. The Fiennes came from a French village 
of that name near Calais, and ancient records 
tell of the marriage in 1020 of Eustace, Baron of 
Fiennes, with Adila, lady of Ardres, daughter of 
Everard de Eurnes, whose son founded Beaulieu 
Abhey. One of the most famous scions of the 
family was Ingelram de Eiennes who married 
Sybil de Tyngrie, a daughter of the illustrious 
house of the Counts of Boulogne, whose descent 
is traceable through the Dukes of Ponthieu to 
Bertha, the daughter of Charlemagne. Count 
Eustace’s hand struck down the ill-fated Harold 
at the battle of Senlac. You may see his portrait 
in the Bayeux tapestry, taken in the act of slaying 
the English king. High honors were bestowed 
upon him by the Conqueror, besides some rich 
manors. 
We cannot now follow the fortunes of this 
noble family, which produced many warrior- 
knights, who wrought many a deed of high emprise 
and fame on the battlefields of England and in 
the wars of the Crusades. Moreover they increased 
the family estates by marrying heiresses; one John 
de Eiennes wedded Maud, the daughter of Sir John 
de Monceaux, of Hurstmonceaux, where the ruins 
of a mighty castle testify to its ancient great¬ 
ness and magnificence. Another, William, married 
Joane, the sister of William de Saye, whose son 
James served bravely under Henry V. in the French 
wars, and fought at Agincourt. He it was who 
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