Compton Castle, Devon, England
Posted by: 
hykesj
N 50° 28.383 W 003° 35.992
30U E 457432 N 5591401
Compton Castle, ancestral home of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, appears on this 1933 postage stamp of Newfoundland.
Waymark Code: WMZP69
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/12/2018
Views: 1
Although referred to as a castle today, this building is more properly called a fortified manor house. It was built as such in the early part of the 14th century by Geoffrey Gilbert who had married into the prominent Compton family. The fortifications were added in the 16th century due to fear of French raids. The Gilbert family abandoned the house in the middle of the 18th century but reacquired it in the 20th century. Today, descendants of the Gilbert family still maintain a residence at Compton Castle, but primary care has been passed to the National Trust.
The most notable resident of Compton Castle was the soldier, politician, explorer and adventurer, Sir Humphrey Gilbert. In 1583, armed with letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I, Gilbert sailed into St. John’s harbor and claimed Newfoundland for England. Though no attempt was made at a settlement (that came shortly thereafter with John Guy and others), Newfoundland nevertheless became a British Colony, the first of its kind in North America. And although possession of Newfoundland was contested on several occasions by the French, it remained a colony of Great Britain until becoming part of Canada in 1949.
In 1933, on the 350th anniversary of his visit to St. John’s, the government of Newfoundland issued a set of 14 postage stamps honoring Sir Humphrey Gilbert. These show various scenes of the life and times of its subject including this two-cent value which shows Compton Castle, his ancestral home in Devon, England.
Stamp Issuing Country: Newfoundland
Date of Issue: 3-Aug-1933
Denomination: 2c
Color: green
Stamp Type: Single Stamp
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
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