Budby

Budby is a small village, of about some 20 houses, in Nottinghamshire located on the A616, between Cuckney and Ollerton, close to the Y-Junction, of the B6034 to Worksop. The Village is located within Sherwood Forest.

History

Established in the mid-Eighteenth century, by the Pierrepont family, Earl Manvers, Duke of Kingston. Built as a picturesque village, designed to house estate labourers, for nearby Thoresby Hall, seat of the Manvers. The style of the village houses, is unapologetic mock gothic style, reminiscent of Regency Gothic.

Budby Castle or "Castle William"

Is a pseudo-Gothic Folly, located in the trees of Sherwood Forest, above the village. Commonly known as Budby Castle it was given the name of Castle William by Charles (Medows) Pierrepont, 1st Earl Manvers, who commisioned it. Built in Budby to house the boat crews for Thoresby Lake. Named after Captain William, who must have been a popular and respected member of the Duke's workforce. In the graveyard of St John's Church, Perlethorpe, is the grave of William Scott, "Captain of the Mary", who died in 1756, who had no doubt piloted a boat called Mary upon Thoresby Lake for Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of kingston. This was the same year Charles (Medows) Pierrepont, 1st Earl Manvers, came to Thoresby.

Castle William was designed by John Carr and records show that in 1816 Charles Herbert Pierrepont, 2nd Earl Manvers, still had a boat crew stationed there. This practise continued through to 1851 when Captain Percy was living there in charge of the boats. However, by that time it is likely that Evelyn's lavish collection had subsided into a practical "fleet" engaged more with fishing and maintenance than public display.From the late 19th Century to the 1920's Castle William became increasingly referred to as Budby Castle, the ivy covered home to successive Clerke of Works for Thoresby Estate. Names include Thomas Wickford Potter in 1895, William C Orkney in 1900, Henry Hill in 1904, and William Arundel Bonner in 1922.It is not known exactly when such links to Thoresby Hall came to and end, please note and respect that Budby Castle is a private residence, standing on private property.