News Archive

We had a super turn out for Professor Jons Famous Flea Circus on Tuesday 9thApril. The fleas behaved themselves beautifully and put on a fabulous performance.

We are hoping that the talented fleas will be coming back again with Professor Jon this coming August. Please watch this space for further details.

Medieval Siege Weapon Spectacular 2018

Marvel at the building and construction of our new huge medieval Catapult
Climb the Towers that would guard against attack from enemies
Watch and join in with the amazing firing of our famous full-size medieval Perrier Catapult
Children’s free colouring-in cards of various siege weapons
Free stamp hunt with a gift
View an attacking army’s siege tower and imagine how they would scale the palisade walls to take over the Castle
Walk through the full sized Battering Ram
Plus so much more

The Baby Peacocks are doing well at the Castle

The Baby Peacocks are doing well and enyoying the sunshine at the Castle

DID YOU KNOW –

Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens.

Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage.

A family of Peafowl is called a “Bevy”.

A group of Peafowl is also sometimes called an “ostentation,” a “muster,” or even a “party.”

Peacocks can fly despite their size and massive tail feathers.

Peacocks were a delicacy in Medieval times.

New for 2018 at Mountfitchet Castle

Come and see our adorable Pygmy Goats

Halloween Fun at Mountfitchet Castle

This half term
Everyday from Saturday 26th Oct to Sunday 3rd November

Fun Pumpkin Trail
Scary Halloween walk-through House
Fun childrens colouring competition

All for no extra charge

Lucky Lupin

Lupin the oldest Fallow deer living in captivity celebrates her 25th birthday on 1st June at Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex.

Lupin was found 25 years ago injured on an Essex road after a car had collided with her and her twin, that was heartbreakingly dead beside her, on a country road and just drove off leaving them both. Luckily the castle’s owner (Alan Goldsmith) was the first to come across her lying unconscious in the middle of the road late that night on his way home and brought her back to Mountfitchet Castle where she received some urgent initial veterinary care. The Castle staff then lovingly looked after her for many weeks helping her to regain her strength and heal her wounds and where she now still lives happily along with the other rescued deer and animals that enjoy the freedom within the safety of the 10 acres of the medieval Castle and Norman village.

Let’s wish her many more years to come of good health and care and continuing enjoyment for her and the castle visitors alike.

Footnote. Fallow deer in the wild only live to an average age of 15 years because their teeth wear down and they can no longer chew their food.

Three baby Peacocks hatched just this morning.

10 Silkie chicks hatched here at Mountfitchet Castle on 12th Oct 17.

Who’s ruffled my feathers!

Staff at Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex were delighted when they recently discovered their first Easter chicks wandering around with their proud mum within the grounds of the medieval village. They are a rare breed called Frizzles which have feathers that grow curling backwards towards the head.
They look eggsactly like they have had their feathers ruffled, and it’s no yolk! We think it’s because their eggs have been secretly hidden around the historic castle grounds and also within the toy museum which is part of the castle complex so that over the Easter holiday children can join in the fun of finding the missing eggs and claim a prize.
The Easter Egg Trail runs from Saturday 1st April until Monday 17th April and is free to participate – just normal admission fee applies. Lots of family fun in store for the whole of the Easter break.

Frizzle Chicks!

Here are the latest additions to our ever growing animal family. They are Frizzle chicks hatched today and are so cute.
Many of the chickens here at Mountfitchet Castle are breeds that the Normans would have kept in the medieval times. Lots of them are rescued from less fortunate backgrounds and battery farms.
We also have some rare breeds here which we like to keep. The most striking of these rarer breeds are the Frizzle Chicken.
A Frizzle is a type of chicken with feathers that curl outwards and back towards the head rather than lying flat as in most chickens.
Mrs Frizzle is very chuffed with her brood and will soon be displaying them in the grounds of the castle for all our visitors to enjoy.

Battery Hens Donated to Mountfitchet Castle

15 rescued battery hens have been donated to Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex where they are now receiving the best possible care and attention. Although the hens were healthy, they were in a very sad state, almost bald with missing feathers and terribly overgrown toenails and very frightened. With continuing care, kindness and patience from Miss Johanna Brown, who cares for the animals at the castle, they are already beginning to grow new feathers and beginning to explore and will soon be allowed to mingle in with the many other rescued animals including deer, goats and sheep and lots of other feathered friends within the safety of the 10 acre medieval castle grounds.

Meet Grace our new goat

A lovely friendly goat has been kindly donated to Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex to join all our other rescued animals including deer, sheep, other goats and lots of chickens, ducks and other feathered friends.

She is a one year old Saen/Boer and Toggenburge cross called Grace and has settled into castle life a treat.

She already loves to greet all visitors and being hand fed and will now live out her life in luxury and safety roaming freely throughout the 10 acre medieval site.

Orphaned baby deer meets her new pals at Mountfitchet Castle

Little Petal, a Fallow deer, was orphaned at just a few days old and was found near Barnston, Dunmow by a very worried couple on 26th June this year. They contacted us at Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex for help and we immediately took her into our care.
After three months of hand rearing at a quiet location Petal was moved to the medieval village yesterday where she met her new life-long friends in the shape of the resident five strong herd of rescued Fallow deer already living within the castle grounds.
She has settled in beatifully with all the other deer and she loves nothing better than to be hand fed by everyone and is looking forward to the many visitors coming next week for half term.

Medieval ‘Banter’ going on at the castle!

Archaeological work being carried out on the 12th Century Barbican wall at Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex by English Heritage has uncovered a very significant find within the first hour of digging, some Norman stonework called ‘Banter’ which is very scarce to find in Motte and Bailey castles. Representatives from English Heritage are working on the site for several days this week before full restoration work begins on the original 12th Century Barbican wall located at the entrance to the inner Bailey where the Baron and his family would have resided during it’s medieval occupancy. This vital work is being carried out to save our disappearing heritage and will also ensure that thousands of school children and visitors will all be able to view and learn about history for many generations to come. English Heritage are overjoyed to find such a significant discovery within the castle grounds and with the further restoration work scheduled for August it makes you wonder what else lay undiscovered on this site that has been occupied for over 2000 years.

So much for Zebra Crossings – we want a Peacock Crossing!

Last Thursday mysterious Peacock Crossing signs popped up overnight in the village of Stansted in Essex. A flock of Peacocks, belonging to Mountfitchet Castle which is located in the centre of the village, are often seen out window shopping along the street and are generally adored by residents, visitors and shop keepers – however some do find them too noisy! A local goodwill citizen has gone to the time and expense of having three signs made and erected around the medieval village to warn drivers to slow down after tragically one Peahen was run over and killed.

A spokesperson for the tourist attraction has commented that they are very grateful to the kind donator of the signs as the Peacocks are all kept free range and not penned up so that they can come and go as they please. We also feel it makes the village different from others in a quirky and quaint way.