The historic fortress with links to two of Henry VIII's wives

Buckden Towers, a miniature fortress entwined in the deaths of two of Henry VIII's wives
-Credit:Warren Gunn / CambridgeshireLive


Cambridgeshire is rich in history, with plenty of buildings and locations that allow you to discover the county's past. From Ely Cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's House to King's College Chapel and Anglesey Abbey, there is a lot to discover.

Some of the most notable buildings can be found in the county's smaller or lesser-known areas. The Huntingdonshire village of Buckden, for example, is home to a fortified house called Buckden Tower, previously known as Buckden Palace.

The first Buckden Palace was a wooden structure, originally built for the Bishops of Lincoln. It was valued at just over £16, listed in the 1086 Domesday Survey and consisted of a mill, cottages, a square mile of woods, and a church.

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A new house was built at Buckden in around 1225 and was meant to be a more permanent building. However, a fire in 1291 destroyed most of the buildings, leaving only stone foundations.

Extensive rebuilding took place in the fifteenth century, including the construction of the actual tower, which was protected by a moat and fortified walls. The following century saw two historically significant women visit the tower.

Buckden Towers was where Henry VIII's first wife lived after their famous divorce. It is now in the middle of the small village of Buckden
Buckden Towers was where Henry VIII's first wife lived after their famous divorce -Credit:Niamh Dann/CambridgeshireLive

Catherine of Aragon was banished to Buckden Palace after the end of her marriage to Henry VIII. The couple had been married for 24 years, but a combination of Henry falling in love with Anne Boleyn and him blaming Catherine for not producing a male heir led to the annulment of their marriage.

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During Catherine's imprisonment, the Buckden estate was sizable and the place was a true manor house, protected by an outer bailey. She spent just under a year at Buckden – from July 1533 to May 1534 – before being sent to nearby Kimbolton Castle.

Catherine saw out her days at Kimbolton and confined herself to one room, leaving only to attend mass. She died of cancer in 1536 and was buried at Peterborough Cathedral.

Another one of Henry VIII's wives also has a connection to the palace. In 1541, Henry took his fifth wife Catherine Howard on a summer tour, taking a stop in Buckden.

The grounds are open to visitors
The grounds are open to visitors -Credit:Warren Gunn / CambridgeshireLive

It was during this tour that Catherine would be accused of committing adultery with Thomas Culpeper – a distant cousin of Catherine’s and one of Henry’s close friends. The two were known to have had many private meetings and the revelation that these meetings occurred, along with a love letter written in Catherine’s handwriting found in Culpeper’s chambers, ultimately led to her downfall.

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Catherine was stripped of the title of Queen in November 1541, while Culpeper was beheaded a month later. In February 1542, Catherine herself was beheaded at the Tower of London.

Nowadays, Buckden Towers is a Grade I listed building. The remains of the moated palace include the tower, a gatehouse, parts of the walls and an outer gate, with the grounds open to visitors.

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