Stapleton Castle

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Masonry Castle

There are masonry footings remains

NameStapleton Castle
Alternative Names
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishStapleton

Remains of a motte and bailey. Probably founded after 1144, the castle became the property of the Say family in C13, and was then acquired by the Mortimers, passed to the Cornwalls and eventual passed to the Harley family in 1706. Garrisoned in 1403 and was slighted in 1645. The existing remains of a stone built house date from C17. The earthworks, motte and bailey seem to have been cut and scarped from the summit of the hill. There are traces of a ditch on the east and west sides of the motte. To the north is a bailey with traces of an entrance and a slight ditch at the north end. The rest of the hill top to the north may have formed an outer enclosure. (PastScape)

In the 11th century Stapleton was in the Shropshire manor of Stanage. This manor was given to a Norman by Edward the Confessor and was held by his son after the conquest. The manor was waste in 1086. The castle was the centre of the Marcher Lordship of Stapleton and was held by the Says and then the Mortimers in the 12th century. It is first mentioned in 1207 (Renn 1973) although it is thought to have been constructed sometime in the late 11th or early 12th century (Carver 1987). The manor and castle were held by the Cornwall family from 1304. In 1403, during Owain Glyndwr's rebellion, Henry IV ordered Sir John Cornwall, along with the owners of 22 other castles in the Marches, to fortify and supply his castle. This implies that the building was still relatively well maintained at this period (Thompson 1987). The castle continued to be occupied throughout the medieval and early post- medieval periods. (Victoria Buteux in Dalwood and Bryant, 2005)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO323655
Latitude52.2839088439941
Longitude-2.99354004859924
Eastings332320
Northings265550
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Shoesmith, Ron, 2009 (Rev edn.), Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press) p. 258-61
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 476
  • Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 62
  • Remfry, Paul Martin, 1999, Nine castles of Burford Barony, 1048 to 1308 (SCS Publishing: Worcestershire) p. 31-3
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 103 (slight)
  • Carver, M.O.H., 1987, 'The nature of urban deposits' in Schofield, J (ed) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report 61) p. 9-26
  • Stirling-Brown, R., 1989, Herefordshire Castles (privately published) p. 18 (plan)
  • Thompson, M.W., 1987, The Decline of the Castle (Cambridge)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 211
  • 1981, Herefordshire Countryside Treasures (Hereford and Worcester County Council) p. 6
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 303
  • Reid Peter, 1980, Burke's and Savills Guide to Country Houses: Vol. 3 (Burke's Peerage) p. 57
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 316
  • Howse, 1946, The History and Legends of Stapleton Castle (Leominster) p. 9-21 (history)
  • RCHME, 1934, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire Vol. 3: north-west p. xxix (plan), 182 No. 1 online transcription
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Gould, I. Chalkley, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Herefordshire Vol. 1 p. 246 (plan)
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 117 online copy
  • Robinson, C.J., 1869, The Castles of Herefordshire and Their Lords (London: Longman) p. 124-5 online copy

Journals

  • Shoesmith, R., 1999, 'Archaeology, 1999, Report of Sectional Recorder' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club Vol. 49.3 p. 439
  • 1994, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 61 p. 7
  • 1993, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 59 p. 7
  • Halliwell, P. (ed), 1992, Herefordshire Archaeological News Vol. 58 p. 27-31 (plan)
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  • Brown, R. Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol. 74 p. 249-280 (Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 90-121) view online copy (subscription required)
  • 1898, 'Presteign for Stapleton Castle, Kinsham and Aymestrey, First Field Meeting, Friday, May 27th' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club p. 13

Primary Sources

  • Hardy, T.D. (ed), 1835, Rotuli litterarm patentium in Turri londinensi asservati (Record Commission) p. 73b online copy
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) (lists sources for 1272-1422) p. 250
  • Stamp, A.E. (ed), 1929, Calendar of Close Rolls Henry IV (1402-05) Vol. 2 p. 111 (1403 as defensible) view online copy (requires subscription but searchable)

Other

  • Dalwood, H. and Bryant, V. (eds), 2005, The Central Marches Historic Towns Survey 1992-6 Download online copy