Foreigners Castle in Herefordshire

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

There are uncertain remains

NameForeigners Castle in Herefordshire
Alternative Namesaene castel
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil Parish

Unlocated castle mentioned as built in 1048 (1051) in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.

Then had the Welshmen erected a castle in Herefordshire among the people of Sweyn the earl, and wrought every kind of harm and disgrace to the king's men there about which they could. (ASC Ingram edn.)

The foreigners {wielisc} then had built a castle in Herefordshire in Earl Swein's province, and had inflicted every possible injury and insult upon the king's men in those parts. (ASC Cubbin 1996 edn. (C-F) 1042-1087 E 1048 (1051)

Gatehouse Comments

Quite what sort of fortification the wielisc 'erected' is a matter of interest and debate as is the identification of the wielisc although the current assumption would suggest these were Norman lords invited into England by Edward the Confessor rather than welshmen. Renn tentatively associates this with Hereford Castle.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

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Books

  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 204-5

Journals

  • 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
  • Renn, D.F., 1964, 'The first Norman Castles in England 1051-1071' Château Gaillard Vol. 1 p. 125-132

Primary Sources

  • Cubbin, G.P., 1996, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A collaborative edition, D.Dumville, S. Keynes, Part 6 MS D: a semi-diplomatic edition with introduction and indices (Woodbridge: Brewer)
  • Ingram, James, (ed) 1912, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Everyman Press, London) Worcester Chronicle AD1048 view online transcription AD 1051 [view online transcription > http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/1051.html] (Ingram's translation and notes date from 1823. More recent translations of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles should be consulted for serious study)