BISHOPS CASTLE

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A medieval motte and bailey castle, probably constructed between 1085 and 1127, and surviving as an earthwork. It was known as Lydbury castle in the 12th century. A fragment of early wall survives on the motte. The motte is 44 metres in diameter across the top, 3 metres in height on the south and 1.5 metres on the north, being situated upon the highest local point on a gentle south facing slope. The bailey to the south is oval sloped in plan, measuring 80 metres east to west by 70 metres north to south and falling in this direction some 50 feet vertical height. The castle was used as a bishops' palace throughout the medieval period and fell into ruins in the 17th century. A bowling green was created over part of the site in the 18th century. The probable earthwork remains of the castle bailey were mapped from aerial photographs. Scheduled.

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(SO 32328910) Castle (NR) (site of). (1)

Bishop's Castle, founded between 1085 and 1154 by one of the Bishops of Hereford, and known as Lydbury Castle in the 12th century (2). Motte and bailey castle with fragments of a ring wall on the motte (3), remains of a thin curtain wall enclosing the bailey have been uncovered (see plan) (4), although Wall (5) considered there was not enough evidence to identify it as a bailey. (2-5)

Bishop's Castle, a motte and bailey, the motte, 44.0m in diameter, 3.0m in height on the S and 1.5m on the N side, being situated upon the highest local point on a gentle S facing slope. The bailey to the S is oval sloped in plan, measuring 80.0m E-W by 70.0m N-S and falling in this direction some 50 feet vertical height.

The motte is occupied by a bowling green and there are no visible remains of a ring wall or buildings upon it. The SE half of the bailey is developed with old town properties, and the NW half is under private gardens and allotments. It increases in height above the surrounding ground from 1.0m to 2.0m on the E and W to 3.0m to 5.0m around the S side, and is bounded by remains of stone retaining wall,1.0 to 3.0m in height and a short stretch on the SE, 5.0m in height,which is of no great thickness, average 0.5m and probably of no great age. By comparison there is a 10.0m length of roughly-coursed stone walling on the W side which is 2.0m in thickness, 2.5m in height internally and 3.0m externally. It is overgrown with ivy; its age cannot be determined but it is obviously much older than the retaining walls.
Published 1:2500 survey revised. (6)

SO 323 891: Bishop's Castle. Scheduled. (7)(8)

The earthwork remains an incomple curvilinear embanked enclosure thought to be the castle bailey were seen centred at SO 3233 8910 and mapped from aerial photographs. The enclosure has a diameter of c.60m. (9)

Listed by Cathcart King. (10)

SO 32328907; SO 32328900. The remains of a medieval motte and bailey castle and bishops' palace. The castle served as a palace of the bishops of Hereford throughout the medieval period. Documentary sources dating from the Elizabethan period record towers on the walls, a gatehouse, a prison tower and a stable. The castle fell into ruins during the 17th century and much of its stonework was quarried by locals. A bowling green was constructed on part of the site in the 18th century. Scheduled and listed. (11)

Defensive walls. Castle founded circa 1100 for the Bishops of Hereford; now no more than sundry walls standing between 20 and 3 feet high in considerable earthworks. Coursed limestone rubble. Original plan: petrified motte and bailey. Some of the masonry is thought to be C14, and one C12 buttress is thought to be identifiable at NGR SO 32382 89048. Sections of the wall survive behind Nos. 10-20 (even), Market Square (Nos. 10 and 20 not listed) and Nos. 2-8 (even), Welsh Street, and behind Nos. 1-5 (odd), Bull Street (Nos. 3 and 5 not listed) and bound the Public Park on the east side. The motte is encircled partly by a rebuilt retaining wall incorporating stretches of mediaeval masonry. Confusingly the best surviving section to the north-east is incorporated in a wall which continues both to the north-west and south-east (neither extension included). Other walls included in this item may well be of mediaeval date, particularly the stretch between the south-east corner of the motte and the middle of the bailey. The top of the motte has been levelled to form a bowling green with a summerhouse (q.v.). In the bailey various buildings, mostly of post-1700 date, demonstrate how, at the end of the C17, the castle was allowed to decay. (12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1963

( 2) Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society

(E W Eyton) 10 - 1887 Page(s)25-6

( 3) D F Renn 1968 Norman Castles in Britain

1968 Page(s)110

( 4) Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society

(F Lavender) 51 - 1941-3 Page(s)157-9

( 5) edited by William Page 1908 The Victoria history of Shropshire: volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England (J C Wall & A E Downman) 1908 Page(s)383

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 10-DEC-73

( 7) English Heritage 1987 County list of Scheduled Ancient Monuments : December 1987

SAMs Salop Page(s)15

(8) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

SAM List Salop Page(s)15

(9) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

RAF CPE/UK/2480 3323-5 10-MAR-1948

(10) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 Page(s)421

(11) Scheduled Monument Notification

EH Scheduling amendment, 11-DEC-2001

(12) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

District of South Shropshire, 28-Jul-1950

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