Cans

Has been described as a Rejected Timber Castle (Other/Unknown)

There are uncertain remains

NameCans
Alternative Names
Historic CountryShropshire
Modern AuthorityShropshire
1974 AuthorityShropshire
Civil Parish

Under the year 1134, Ordericus relates how the Welsh, exasperated by the oppressions of the English, seized upon and burnt a Castle of Pagan fitz John called Cans, and slaughtered every inmate, male and female. (fn. Ordericus, 900, A. Dugdale makes the Cans of Ordericus to be Caus, and the two letters involved in the question have been constantly changed by transcribers. A Border Castle is doubtless spoken of, but I cannot suggest what Pagan fitz John may have had to do with that of Caus.) (Eyton)

Unidentified castle mentioned c.1134. Said to belong to Payn fitz John; if so, almost certainly not Caus. (Hogg and King)

Gatehouse Comments

Possibly another castle in the area of Caus. Paul Remfry suggests Cymaron Castle, Radnorshire. However it may well be that Payn had seized Caus at this time (the wikipedia entry for Pain fitzJohn (accessed 5-10-2013) states he held Caus (citing Chibnall, Empress Matilda p. 77)) while he was royal justice and, possibly, sheriff of Shropshire and it may well be the Ordericus Vitalis' Cans was Caus castle. However it is also possible Chibnall's reference to fitz John as lord of Caus may just be a reference to Ordercius with an assumption the castle referred to is Caus. Gatehouse is of the opinion that it is more likely that this is a reference to Caus than to any other site. Can be rejected as a lost castle site.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid Reference
Latitude0
Longitude0
Eastings0
Northings0

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Books

  • Chibnall, Marjorie, 1991, The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English (Oxford: Blackwell) p. 77
  • Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p. 10
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 130
  • Eyton, R.W., 1857, Antiquities of Shropshire (London) Vol. 5 p. 242 online copy

Journals

  • Coplestone-Crow, B., 1995, 'Payn fitzJohn and Ludlow Castle' Shropshire History and Archaeology Vol. 70 p. 180
  • 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

Primary Sources

  • le Prevost, A. (ed), 1855, Ordericus Vitalis, Historica Ecclesiastica Vol. 5 p. 43 online copy