The medieval fenlands and marshes of South Lincolnshire were a unique environment. Hostile, yet valuable. Remote, yet accessible. A cursory consideration of these diseased wetlands might have led any newcomer (and current historian) to believe they were best well avoided. Yet, successive invaders of the British Isles have utilised these inhospitable lands. The Romans tried to tame them by building sea banks and the incredible Carre Dyke. That provided easy transport of goods and people by water and helped prevent flooding from the surrounding higher land. The Anglo-Saxons utilised the rich resources of the fens, marshes and sea. The Vikings navigated the creeks and rivers for trade and plunder. The Normans began the division and taxation of the Slodgers that inhabited the natural resource-rich interior and controlled the movement of products. They built their Motte and Bailey castles as part of this control, as safe houses for the tax collectors, and the monumental imposition of power.
The edges of the fens and marshes are where the Normans built their castles. The history of castles in the fens is sparse, with limited written knowledge and archaeology. When they were built, who built them, and their purpose is unlikely ever to be known with great certainty. These enigmatic and intriguing structures have long since blended into the surrounding earth. Rounded mounds in a flat landscape are the only remnants. Where they have not yet been ploughed out, they remain invisible to most as they drive past and are mere curiosities to the more vigilant.
The thing that intrigues me most about this particular castle is its name. It is so unusual. What could it possibly mean or refer to? Castles are usually named after their location (e.g., Lincoln Castle). That does not appear to be the case here.
Medieval Swineshead
The village of Swineshead is an interesting medieval community. It features in the 1216 story of the end of the life of King John. Falling ill during his stay at the Abbey, he was to die shortly after at Newark. Whether this was natural or otherwise is the cause of much speculation. Boasting a Castle and an Abbey, this was a significant location. Yet it is not named in Domesday. It is assumed the lands of Swineshead would have been included under the entry for Drayton. David Roffe suggests the reason for the lack of records is likely that the lands of the Fee of Lancaster in Lincolnshire are not completely accounted for. Because of the omission, whatever the reason, we do not know if the castle was built by 1086, but, likely, it was not.
It is possible that some structure or feature was in place before Domesday. It is suggested that the castle site was home to Turkil the Dane during the reign of Canute (1016-1035). We know that Motte and Bailey castles were often built on preexisting features. The location of Swineshead’s castle was most likely a higher, dry piece of ground that a settlement or manor was built upon. Topographic maps suggest that the castle and Abbey were perhaps at one time on opposite sides of a creek.
The De Gresley family
It is generally considered that the builders of the castle were the De Gresleys. Robert de Gresley (also spelt Greslet) was the founder of the Abbey in 1137. The first known reference to the castle occurs with the death of his son Albert in 1186. Albert was most likely the castle builder rather than his father. This places the construction of the castle roughly 100 years later than Domesday. Albert’s son, Robert, born in 1174, inherited the family lands and titles. He was too young to manage the inherited estates; which explains the record of a sum of 48 shillings paid to the farmers of the estates 'for the repair of the houses of the castles of Manchester and Swineshead'.
Robert de Gresley (Junior) became the first Lord of Manchester and took up residence there. He married Margaret Longchamp, sister of William, Bishop of Ely, and Chancellor to King Richard I.
Swineshead Abbey fell foul of King John in 1203 when it was raided, and the money of the Countess of Aumale hidden there to avoid taxation was confiscated. (King John. W.L. Warren. Chapter 4, section 8 Meeting the cost.) Perhaps partly fuelled by such acts, Robert was to become significant in the Barons’ uprising against King John. Taking sides against him and contributing to the pressure placed on the King to sign the Magna Carta. I believe that because of his acts of rebellion, control of Swineshead castle was taken from de Gresley and given to someone who could be trusted. The actions of de Gresley and the subsequent loss of the castle make for an interesting link to the untimely end of King John and its connection to Swineshead.
Cheshire and the Earls of Chester
The Cheshire base of the de Gresley family firmly associates them with the lands and influence of the Earls of Chester. In 1217, the incumbent Earl, Ranulph de Blondeville, became also the first Earl of Lincoln. He received this honour from the Regent William Marshall for his support during the suppression of the Barons and the successful rout of the rebels at Lincoln. As an aside, the Earls of Chester had for generations owned Wrangle Castle. The Chester connection gives us our first clue to the possible origin of the castle's unusual name, Manwar Ings.
Hugh de Kevelioc was Earl of Chester between 1153 and 1181. He was the father of the future Earl of Lincoln Ranulf de Blondeville. However, his first child was his daughter Amicia, who married Ralph de Mainwaring (alternative spelling Manwaring). Ralph is recorded as being one of Ranulf, the Earl of Lincoln’s tutors. The surname Mainwaring has a territorial origin from the village of Le Mesnil Varin (or "the manor of Warin"), now Saint-Paër, in Normandy. It seems highly possible that the brother-in-law and tutor of Ranulph de Blondeville, or perhaps more likely his son, could have been given control of the castle at Swineshead. This would have been during the turmoil around the time of the Barons’ War, the Magna Carta and the end of King John.
The Mainwarings
The Mainwarings are inextricably linked through history with the Earls of Chester. The early Norman ruling families were very intermarried and connected. The interconnections are labyrinthine and take huge amounts of time to research. In Domesday, there is a Ranulph of Mainwaring. He is predominantly the Lord of lands across Cheshire. But, he also holds Lordship over lands around Holt on the North coast of Norfolk on behalf of the Earl of Chester. This demonstrates a close link between the Earls of Chester and the Mainwarings over 100 years prior to the time of King John. There will undoubtedly be intermarriages during the intervening period that could be uncovered.
Ralph de Mainwaring, died in 1210. It is, therefore, unlikely that the control of Swineshead passed to him as Magna Carta and the Baron's War was after this time. His son Roger de Mainwaring could be a possibility. Roger was the nephew of the Earl of Chester.
This connection to the Mainwaring family, in my opinion, has been recorded for posterity in the acquired name for the castle, Manwaring’s. Or Mainwaring’s Castle.
Keeping it in the family
It is noteworthy that the Earl of Chester held extensive lands across Lincolnshire, including as close to Swineshead as Coningsby, where Robert Tattersall later built his fortified manor now known as Tattershall Castle.
Roger de Mainwaring would have been a safe and loyal pair of hands whilst Robert de Gresley was on the side of the Barons harrying the King. The important Swineshead castle helped ensure safe passage on the main route between the South East, Norfolk, and Lincoln. This strategic location needed a loyal Castellan. A precedent for assigning loyal tenants to castles is recorded very locally. Around the same time, Moulton Castle (another fenland Motte and Bailey) was taken from the rebel Thomas de Multon and entrusted to the loyal William de Albini.
When familial relationships are explored, a fascinating fact emerges. William D’Aubigny (or de Albini), Earl of Arundel (not his namesake from Belvoir), was married to Ranulf de Blondeville's sister, Mabel. This means that Ranulph de Blondeville, and William de Albini were brothers-in-law by marriage. Both these men were the uncle of Roger de Mainwaring. This means that the three key South Lincolnshire motte and bailey castles of Wrangle, Moulton, and Swineshead were all controlled by one family. Actually, for a brief period of a couple of years, Wrangle passed from Ranulph de Blondeville to William Marshall’s control before being passed back. This was likely for a specific purpose linked to the demise of King John and is explored elsewhere in this blog.
Another interesting familial aside is that Robert Tattershall was the son of William de Albini, nephew of Ranulph de Blondeville and cousin to Roger de Mainwaring. The prototype Tattershall Castle was not built until 1231, fifteen years after the death of King John. This family had significant control over Lincolnshire.
Why the Ings?
Why would the name be recorded as Manwar Ings? Possibly, the origin of the name was lost over time whilst the name itself was remembered. So local residents tried to make sense of it. Ings is a term used widely in South Lincolnshire (e.g. Freiston Ings, Bennington Ings). It is an Old English word referring to marshes or water meadows. The castle was definitely located on the edge of the marshes, so it is not a stretch for the locals to believe that Ings referred to the marshland's location and should be separate.
Alternative explanations
Other possible origins for the name Manwar Ings should be considered.
As the castle was possibly home to Turkil the Dane, the origins of the name could be Old Norse.
Manna-vegr means road or way where men pass. Therefore Manna-vegr Ings would be the passage through the marsh.
Alternatively
These are interesting conjectures, but they require Old Norse combined with Old English to reach an outcome that is unlikely to be a realistic proposal.
A more realistic theory might be that Manwar is a misspelling of the Middle English word Manoir. A type of Manor or country house. Combined with Ings once more, Manoir Ings would mean the Manor on the Marsh.
Conclusion
Without any recorded evidence of the castle being taken from Robert de Gresley and given to Roger de Mainwaring, this explanation of the origin of the castle’s name is only speculation. That a neighbouring castle was taken from an opponent of King John and given to a loyal supporter adds weight to the theory. Swineshead Castle likely changed hands at this time. It is a logical suggestion. But not one that can be proven. Therefore, I have to say that the most likely explanation for the name is that it is the Manor on the Marsh. The Manoir Ings.
My personal preference is the Mainwaring explanation, as it makes a better story. I shall continue to look for evidence that supports the theory and will add it here when I find it.