Shifnal Moat

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Other/Unknown), and also as a Questionable Fortified Manor House

There are no visible remains

NameShifnal Moat
Alternative NamesShifnall; Idsall
Historic CountryShropshire
Modern AuthorityShropshire
1974 AuthorityShropshire
Civil ParishShifnal

Enclosing a circular area but with its outer banks very irregular, is a moat with a varying width from 50ft to 90ft. It is however greatly worn at the south where a narrow channel conveys water from the mill stream flowing on the east and south. Excavation in advance of housing development. Trial trenches revealed foundations of house on the east side. Scattered post holes of timber buildings were found, and bases of post holes on the W and NW sides showed that there had been a timber palisade. Pottery was dated to the first part of the C13. Possible site of the Manor House of Idsall/ Shifnall, founded no earlier than 1200 and deserted in C14. (Shropshire SMR derived from VCH 1908 and Barker 1964)

Gatehouse Comments

Destroyed about 1963 and under housing by 1975. Is this a successor to the doubtful castle at Castle Hills or does that site take its name from this site?

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ746072
Latitude52.6618995666504
Longitude-2.37698006629944
Eastings374600
Northings307200
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 86 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 435 (possible)
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Wall (after Downham), 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Shropshire Vol. 1 p. 404 (plan)

Journals

  • Barker, P., 1964, 'Excavation of a Moated Site at Shifnal, Shropshire, 1962' Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 57 p. 194-205

Other

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