Melbourne Castle was an incomplete medieval castle, founded in 1311 by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, in Melbourne, Derbyshire. It was built on the site of an earlier royal manor house that had provided accommodation for noblemen hunting in a nearby royal park in the reign of King John. After the earl's execution in 1322 for opposing Edward II, the castle was mainly in the possession of the Crown or the Earls and Dukes of Lancaster. Improvements and repairs were made by John of Gaunt and others, and the building was in generally good condition throughout the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. John I, Duke of Bourbon, was kept at Melbourne for 19 years after his capture at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and it was considered as a possible prison for Mary Queen of Scots. The castle was in decline by the end of the reign of Elizabeth I. It was purchased in 1604 by Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon, who had his own castle in nearby Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and was gradually demolished for its building materials. All that remains is a short section of wall and some foundations. The ruins are grade II listed and the site is a scheduled monument, with no public access.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_Castle

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1685:

Monmouth Rebellion: The Duke of Monmouth declared himself King of England at Bridgwater. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Scott,_1st_Duke_of_Monmouth

1789:

French Revolution: Meeting in a tennis court near the Palace of Versailles, members of France's Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to separate until a new constitution was established. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Court_Oath

1921:

Workers at the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in the city of Madras, India, began a four-month strike. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921_Buckingham_and_Carnatic_Mills_strike

1960:

The Mali Federation gained independence from France, but lasted only two months before dividing into Senegal and Mali. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_Federation

2007:

Sammy Sosa of the Texas Rangers became the fifth player in Major League Baseball history to hit his 600th career home run. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Sosa

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

cravat: 1. A wide fabric band worn as a necktie by men having long ends hanging in front, like an ascot tie. 2. (historical) A decorative fabric band or scarf worn around the neck by women. 3. (surgery) A bandage resembling a cravat, particularly a triangular bandage folded into a strip. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cravat

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Lives were being ruined and few hands were raised in help. Since when do you have to agree with people to defend them from injustice?   --Lillian Hellman https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lillian_Hellman