If you have any queries regarding this record please contact us at HERecord@Worcestershire.gov.uk for County records (WSM) and archaeology@worcester.gov.uk for City records (WCM)

Monument Types

• CASTLE (14TH CENTURY AD to 15TH CENTURY AD - 1400 AD to 1499 AD)

Associated Events

• Community Excavation at Abberley Castle - Area A (Ref: WSM66633)
• Community Excavation at Abberley Castle - Area B (Ref: WSM66634)

Protected Status

• SHINE

Full description

Given to Ralph de Todeni circa 1310 by Marriage to Thomas de Leybarme, Guy de Beauchamp and William of Warwick. 1499 to crown. Circa 1532 Henry gave to Will Walshe. 19th Century to Moillets. Site uncertain - suggests on Merrits Hill. Describes 1405 skirmish against Welsh. English defended Abberley Hill, after 8 days Meredith led several successful skirmishes on west spur of Abberley Hill, now called Merritts Hill, where he seems to have met with some success, though unable to capture old 'keep' or tower which then occupied site of Abberly Hall. A castle has been identified at Castle Farm (WSM04410) by Mr Comley but this may not represent the site of Abberley Castle itself.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

An historically significant medieval settlement recorded as an earthwork in antiquarian references. [7]

There is currently no physical evidence for the location of the castle and none of the proposed sites fits entirely with the descriptions. WSM04410 at Castle Farm represents one possible location for the castle, but this seems unlikely as it is so far north and does not overlook the parish. It is likely that this is a substantial farmstead or manor house, but not the site of Abberley Castle itself. Abberley Castle may have been under the current Abberley Hall and this is the second potential site. Again this site is not on a hill and does not overlook the parish, so perhaps this was a hunting lodge as suggested elsewhere. A third site has been suggested at the cross roads of Wynniates Way and the A443 on the west side of the A443. The evidence for this seems scant, although according to a 1983 document [6] it was trial trenched and stonework found. An Abberley local historian believe that the castle was located at the northern end of Abberley Hill just to the north of Wynniates Way. This site has clear views in all directions, overlooks the parish, overlooks the church to the east and the medieval park and hunting lodge to the west. There was an avenue of trees running from Abberley Hall up Wynniates Hill along Wynniates Way to the top of the hill. The remaining trees show that this avenue pre-dates the current hall. Did this avenue form an impressive entrance to, and view from, the hunting lodge or did it link the hunting lodge to a castle at the top of the hill?[8]

Field is called The Hill on the Abberley tithe map (1840). The field boundaries would have been altered when the turnpike road was moved to its current location (WSM48321). It is parcel number 42 on the 1811 map. [9][10][11]

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 9th April 2019 licensed under the Open Government Licence: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ [12]

Sited to SO7468. In a list of "Castles in Wicestreshire" is "Aberle (Abberley) otherwise Abbotisle sometyme longinge to the Erl of Warwike". [Leland's Itinery 5 1964 9] No trace of castle on APs. [APs (OS/62/58 153 154 7.6.62) [12]

Six test pits were excavated around the Wynniatts Way in 2015 - four to the north (WSM66633) and two to the south (WSM66634) - in search of Abberley Castle, as part of the Medieval Abberley Revealed project. No evidence of the castle or other archaeological features was found in either location. [13]

Sources and further reading

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.