Family matters

The Ingilby family has owned Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, since 1308 and still lives there.

Sir Thomas Ingilby, the current head of the family, admits to being the "slightly shell-shocked custodian of 700 years of history".

In 1974, he inherited, at the age of 18, an estate comprising 3,500 acres and a massive tax bill for death duties.

Under his stewardship, Ripley Castle has become the centre of a thriving business based on private and corporate events. As a microcosm of English history, it also offers a grand day out for all the family.

A guided tour of the historic building is a must. Let your imagination bring to life the ancient stones and timbers as an enthusiastic guide tells the epic saga of the Ingilbys with its highs and lows.

The guide on our tour of the castle certainly brought history to life for my son, Daniel, 15, and 12-year-old daughter, Rachel.

The Ingilby family's good fortune can be traced back to 1355 when King Edward III was hunting wild boar in the Royal Forest of Knaresborough. The monarch wounded his quarry with a spear, but the enraged beast charged Edward's horse causing him to be thrown from his saddle. As the powerful boar closed in for the kill, a quick-thinking Thomas Ingilby (1310-1369) dispatched it, thereby preventing regicide.

A grateful king knighted him, granted him a charter to hold a weekly market at Ripley, plus an annual fair, and allowed him to use a boar's head on the family crest.

Sir William Ingilby (1546-1618) played host to King James I in 1603 as he travelled from Scotland to take up the English throne in London. Two years later the Gunpowder Plot was uncovered. Nine of the 11 main conspirators who wanted to blow up James I as he opened Parliament were connected to the Ingilbys.

Sir William himself was accused of being involved in "gunpowder, treason and plot" but his trial collapsed in 1611 as key witnesses suddenly changed their testimony.

Sir William Ingilby (1594-1652) fought for King Charles I at Marston Moor, near York, in 1644, alongside his sister "Trooper Jane", who must have been something of a tomboy.

Prince Rupert's army was defeated by Oliver Cromwell. Sir William and his sister fled to Ripley Castle, only to have Cromwell spend the night there after the greatest military victory of his career.

Jane greeted Cromwell with two pistols while Sir William hid upstairs in a priest-hole.

Cromwell left the next morning, but only after ordering his soldiers to shoot several of their prisoners. The marks made by the musket balls can still be seen on the walls of the gatehouse and the parish church, All Saints'.

Both Trooper Jane and Sir William avoided death by firing squad.

Sir John Ingilby (1757-1815) rebuilt the castle, but was driven overseas by impending bankruptcy. Fortunately his estate manager, John Hewitt, cleared the debts - thanks to his business acumen - and Sir John was able to return to Ripley in 1804 after ten years away.

Sir William Amcotts Ingilby (1783-1854) was so impressed by a model village he visited in France in the 1830s that he was inspired to return to Ripley and rebuild the estate village from scratch. The fruits of his labours are enjoyed by countless visitors today.

No visit to Ripley Castle would be complete without a stroll round its beautiful gardens, impressive lake and deer park.

Fact file

Castle: July and August, daily. All other months, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and May Day bank holidays. Opening hours: 10.30am to 3pm.

Gardens: Open daily, 9am to 5pm (4pm in winter).

Cost: Castle and gardens, adults £6.50; OAPs £5.50, children (five to 16) £4; under-fives free.

Location: Ripley Castle is on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, about three miles north of Harrogate on the A61.

Contact: Telephone 01423 770152; website www.ripleycastle.co.uk; email enquiries@ripleycastle.co.uk

Updated: 08:48 Saturday, April 16, 2005