Shifnal Castle Farm

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

There are no visible remains

NameShifnal Castle Farm
Alternative NamesCastell Blythbury; Eveleyghe Castell; Castell Evelith
Historic CountryShropshire
Modern AuthorityShropshire
1974 AuthorityShropshire
Civil ParishSt Georges and Priorslee

Farmhouse occupying a moated site. Castell Blythbury is/was a place-name in the vicinity and Castlefield (SJ711060) and Castlemeadow were fieldnames in C19 possibly representing the Eveleyghe Castell/Castell Evelith place-names mentioned in 1584-5. (Jackson 1988)

A cropmark of probable Iron Age/Romano British double-ditched curvilinear enclosure revealed by air photos. The monument was partially excavated in 1980 revealing that one ditch was later in date - probably Roman or possibly? Medieval drainage. The enclosure was unfinished and largely unoccupied. (PastScape)

Excavation in advance of the construction of a reservoir suggested a C17 date for the construction of this pond feature. However, the lack of medieval residual material during excavation is to be expected if the moat had been frequently cleared out and the C17 material would merely reflect the date of its abandonment. In addition the pond appears to have formerly been rectangular as there is a suggestion of four corners of such a feature on the Tithe Award Map-again suggesting a moated site. Furthermore, C13 references to The Castle, Shifnal ie Castle Farm seems to contradict the conclusion from excavation that the site was abandoned at this time. The site is now destroyed. (Shrop SMR report)

Gatehouse Comments

The site is now drowned under a reservoir. It is not clear if Harvey (1911) was referring to this site or Shifnal moat.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ724095
Latitude52.682559967041
Longitude-2.4091899394989
Eastings372440
Northings309510
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p. 69 (reject)
  • 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
  • Eyton, R.W.,1855, Antiquities of Shropshire (London) Vol. 2 p. 318-319 online copy

Journals

  • Watson, M.D., 1987, 'Gazetteer of Moated Sites in Shropshire' Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 65 p. 6
  • 1980, West Midlands Archaeology Vol. 23 p. 40-51
  • 1903, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 3 p. 304-5, 309