Monument Type(s):

• GREAT HALL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1901 AD)
• KEEP (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1901 AD) + Sci.Date

Summary

Grade I Listed Building: The much restored remains of a Shrewsbury Castle's hall or keep, perhaps of 13th century origin, with an upper storey probably added in the early 17th century.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5686 - 1993 recording of screen in Great Hall, Shrewsbury Castle following fire, by City of Hereford Archaeology Unit
• ESA5986 - 2004 Dendro dating of timbers from Shrewsbury Castle, Shrewsbury by EH
• ESA7889 - 2001 DBA and building survey of Shrewsbury Castle by Richard K Morriss

Description

The Great Hall range is a two storey block flanked by taller round towers on the northern perimeter of the castle. Although possibly containing earlier masonry, the range is essentially a late 13th-century structure remodelled several times since. The 13th century work includes the two towers and probably consisted of a first floor hall above a tall undercroft occupying most of the range. Domestic quarters were probably contained within the towers, reached by mural stairs. The original fenestration is known to have been radically altered by Telford in the late 18th-century. The close-studded screen, separating the bulk of the Great Hall from the entry vestibule area, was damaged by an incendiary device in 1992. The screen was subsequently recorded, and repairs recommended. No date for the screen could be determined. <2>

Hall, with two round towers. Morris (1937/8) suggested that the towers and curtain wall between them pre-date the hall. West tower: unlit basement, possibly a prison; at ground floor level a square headed doorway gives access to a lobby from the inner bailey and thence into the room known as the Mayor's Parlour, reconstructed by Telford. Doorway with pointed arch into hall, possibly reconstructed. Doorway to room over has remains of earlier arch over it; the room itself was vaulted. East tower: Entered from entrance hall via pointed arched door as per west tower; porter's chamber within; dungeon below, Morris suggested possible changes to floor levels here. Chamber over, masonry damaged in 18th-century alterations; inserted door way in floor above to give access to added storey to hall. The hall itself: basement: lit by loop windows only; doorways to basements of each tower; possible door to inner bailey under present entrance. Great Hall is at first-floor level (relative to inner bailey) divided by timber-framed screen from entrance passage at east end. North wall (part of curtain wall pre-dating hall) probably rebuilt when hall constructed and a new fireplace (? Reconstructed in 1926 restoration) installed in it [<1>]. The hall appears to have been roofless when the Burghley Map was drawn c.1575. The upper storey was added probably in the early 17th century. Some fabric analysis was undertaken by Richard Morriss in 1993 on the screen [<2>], but the building lacks a general modern structural analysis. <3>

Dendrochronology survey carried out in 2004 on timbers from the Hall Range of Shrewsbury Castle, Shropshire. Construction of the Hall was thought to have begun in AD 1164, although it is commonly accepted that it was rebuilt circa 1280 by Edward I as part of his campaign to fortify the Welsh Border. It was enlarged in 1596 and it is not clear as to whether any of the 12th century timbers remain. 32 timbers were sampled. The earliest felling date identified for a reset timber over a doorway between the east tower and the balcony which forms part of the current roof structure over the Hall. This was most likely felled in the period AD 1184 – 1214. Nine timbers were dated from the stairways at either end of the Hall and these were most likely felled in the period AD 1234 – 49. Five floor beams from the Hall and three timbers from the screen form a single group of timbers with similar date ranges, one of which retained complete sapwood and was felled in the winter of AD 1647/8. <4>

Report on dendrochronology from the great hall (as <4>); interpretation of results differs slightly. <5>

Discussed in a desk-based assessment of the Castle in 2001, undertaken in association with the preparation of a conservation plan. The main hall range is described as the most significant element of the castle site - architecturally and archaeologically. Interior and exterior described in detail and elevations and ground plans reproduced, together with photographic record [using some rectified photography - the originals of which are with Shropshire Archives]. Identifies eight phases of development, spanning the mid-late 13th century to the present. <6>

<01> Morris J A, 1937/ 1938, Shrewsbury Castle: An Historical Sketch (Article in serial). SSA4180.

<02> Morriss Richard K, 1993, Shrewsbury Castle - An Interim Report on the Fire Damaged Screen in the Great Hall (Field survey report). SSA10422.

<03> Baker Nigel J, UAD Analysis, 16/06/1997 (HER comment). SSA20432.

<04> Bridge M and Miles D, 2005, Tree-Ring Analysis of timbers from Shrewsbury Castle, Shrewsbury (Scientific dating report). SSA22385.

<05> Worthington M, 2011, Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory List of Dated Buildings (Shropshire) (Online database). SSA27695.

<06> Morriss Richard K, 2001, Shrewsbury Castle, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: an archaeological and architectural analysis, pp.23-53 (Deskbased survey report). SSA28884.

Sources

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