Richard of Cornwall (the second son of King John) built grand apartments at the castle and made it the administrative centre of his estates in the 13th century.
Berkhamsted Castle was granted to Richard, Earl of Cornwall, in 1225 by his brother, King Henry III. Richard was believed to be the richest man in England and was also a skilful diplomat. He was often needed at the royal court in London.
Berkhamsted became the administrative centre of the earldom of Cornwall. Bailiffs from his numerous estates brought their accounts there.
He repaired and refurbished the castle and enlarged the western tower to create a luxurious palace complex. Part of the palace, believed to be the chapel and possibly the undercroft of the Great Painted Chamber, remain.
Richard's son Edmund was born at the castle and two of his wives died there. Richard himself died at Berkhamsted in 1272.
Hunting in Berkhamsted deer park
Edward, the Black Prince (1330 – 1371), son and heir of Edward III, was given the castle as Duke of Cornwall.
A favourite residence, the Prince repaired the castle buildings and ordered a new timber palisade around the park to keep the deer from escaping. He married Joan, 'the Fair Maid of Kent', in 1361 and the couple spent their first Christmas at the castle.
Disclaimer
The text and pictures on this page are derived from the 'Heritage Unlocked' series of guidebooks published in 2004. We intend to review, update and enhance the content in the near future as part of the Portico project, whose objective is to provide information on the history, significance, research background and sources for all English Heritage properties.
