*** Note: this page was part of the AQA Historic Environment topic for 2023. See Drake and the Circumnavigation for 2024. ***

Mary Queen of Scots was kept captive at Sheffield Manor Lodge between 1570 and 1584. She was mostly moved between Sheffield Manor Lodge and the nearby Sheffield Castle, for example, when one of the properties needed to be 'sweetened' by having the latrines emptied.

Sheffield Manor Lodge was originally a medieval hunting lodge, but it had been rebuilt as a manor house in the early Tudor period. It was surrounded by a large deer park with 3000 deer and had panoramic views across the countryside.

George Talbot, The Earl of Shrewsbury made changes to Sheffield Manor Lodge to make it fit for a royal queen and to ensure it was secure due to the threat of Catholic plots linked to Mary Queen of Scots. He also wanted to show off his wealth and status and ensure it was a comfortable and enjoyable place to live in.

Some of the key features of Sheffield Manor Lodge were:

The Long Gallery - it had oak-panelled walls, with portraits and tapestries hung on them, as well as fine furnishings and the Earl's collection of suits of armour.

Great Hall - this was used for banquets. Mary sat beneath a cloth of state to show her royal status and had 16 dishes for each meal, as befitting her royal status.

Gardens - the design was influenced by the Italian Renaissance with water fountains and a symmetrical layout.

Latticed windows - glass was expensive, so this demonstrated the Earl's wealth and status and made the lodge more comfortable and less draughty than nearby Sheffield Castle.

The Turret House - This was built in 1574 to provide extra security for the Manor Lodge following the Ridophi plot in 1571 and St Bartholemew's Massacre in 1572. It featured the Earl of Shrewsbury's coat of arms on the stained glass windows and above the mantlepiece, as well as symbols, such as the Scottish royal thistle and marigolds, that represented Mary Queen of Scots in the plaster on the ceiling.

GCSE Elizabethan England 1568-1603 AQA

Sheffield Manor Lodge and Mary Queen of Scots