Castlefacts³

Lower Slaughter Church of St Mary

Has been described as a Possible Siege Work

There are no visible remains

Name	Lower Slaughter Church of St Mary
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Gloucestershire
Modern Authority	Gloucestershire
1974 Authority	Gloucestershire
Civil Parish	Lower Slaughter

The church was converted into a castle 1139-48. (Renn 1973 ref. Morey and Brooke)

Gilbert's letters give us other vivid glimpses of the troubles of the anarchy–of St Mary's church at Slaughter (Glos.) also turned into a castle (Morey and Brooke p. 86)

Gatehouse Comments

The church is C19 with some C13 work but with nothing to suggest the form of the C12 church or what works were done to convert it into a 'castle.' However, the context of Foliot's letter must suggest a temporary work with, at most, some earthworks and timber hoarding. Was this a siege work of Upper Slaughter Castle or a roadblock and taxation point of the Gloucershire Way/Fosse Way/Ryknild Street junction? Gatehouse suspects more the later with the church occupied as a base by a gang of armed men making use of the breakdown of order during the Anarchy to extort money from travellers. Such a group would have relatively little need for a 'fortified' base since their response to a re-imposition of law and order would be to flee, but a stone built building with a tower would be useful as a base and lookout.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number

Historic England Listed Building number(s)

1089920

Images Of England

129907

County Historic Environment Record

www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=6823&resourceID=108

OS Map Grid Reference	SP165226
Latitude	51.9018287658691
Longitude	-1.76057994365692
Eastings	416578
Northings	222616