Guides to Framlingham Castle
1959 (3rd impression 1965)
Framlingham Castle came into state guardianship in 1913. The castle still retains some of the original Ministry of Works signs. My oldest blue guide is by Frederick J.E. Raby, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Works (history), and Paul K. Baillie Reynolds, Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments (description). My 1965 MPBW edition is the third impression of the 1959 guide consisting of 32 pages, including black and white photographs and a plan. The text is divided into a History (pp. 8-14, plan p. 15), and a Description (pp. 16-31), with a glossary (p. 32). The cover is decorated with the arms of the Howard Dukes of Norfolk that stands above the main entrance gate of the castle.
1977 (9th impression)
I also have a ninth impression (1977) issued by the Department of the Environment at 50p. The guidebook notes revisions based on published excavations by J.G. Coad (1971) and Derek Renn (1975). The plan has moved to the start of the guide (p. 4) although the handwritten caption has been replaced by a more standard typographic font. The guidebook follows the earlier one with Summary (pp. 5-7), History (pp. 8-16), Description (pp. 17-37) and glossary (p. 38). Pictures have been placed in text rather than in a single block.
Guide to Framlingham Castle
Alongside this is a small card guide to the castle, c. 1977.
2009 (revised reprint 2011)
The present English Heritage fully illustrated guide by Nicola Stacey was published in 2009 (revised reprint 2011). This consists of 40 pages with foldout plans inside the covers. It consists of a tour (pp. 4-21) and the history (pp. 22-40). The Howard coast of arms (see covers above) features in an early 20th century black and white photograph (p. 6).
The guide also includes information about the Howard Tombs in the adjacent church of St Michael, and a discussion of the ‘Flodden Helm’.
