More information : (SO 488193) Pembridge Castle (NR). (1)
Pembridge Castle is an interesting example of a small border castle. No documentary evidence of the building, or alteration of the castle has been found; dating is based on architectural evidence alone (see plan). The earliest structure appears to be the late 12th or early 13th century Keep. The castle, held for the King in the Civil War, was besieged in 1644 and probably reduced to a ruin at this time. Restorations have been undertaken by the present (1931) owner.
In the field to the SE are remains of gun-platforms dating from the siege of 1644. (2)
Pembridge Castle, a farm residence in good condition. In recent years, the castle has been largely reconstructed and renovated, particularly the NW range, and the SW range including the gatehouse which have been fully restored to their original heights. A moat surrounds the castle and is still waterfilled on the NW and NE sides. Due to placing of the castle upon a NW hill-slope, the moat is cut deep into soil and rock on the SE side whilst on the NW side it is contained by a massive earthen retaining bank, 18.0m in width and 4.0 to 5.0m in height externally.
Published 1:2500 survey revised.
No gun platforms could be recognised upon the slope to the SE. There are three small grassy depressions, rather like old store pits, at SO 48821924, but these are very doubtfully gun sites. See GPs. (3)
Former border castle, now farmhouse. Late C12 or early C13 keep, C13 foundations to gate house, curtain walls and undercroft to chapel, C17 domestic buildings, substantially restored and rebuilt early C20. Coursed and squared sandstone rubble, ashlar dressings, slate roofs. Rectangular in plan with curtain walls and gate house to south angle, circular keep to west, chapel block and small circular tower to north and further quadrant-shaped tower to east with bartizan, the domestic buildings towards west of courtyard with hall block to north-west and kitchen block to south-west. Gate house: two storeys and basement. Segmental pointed arch to entrance with chamfered jambs and grooves for portcullis flanked by two round towers with lancet windows. Four storey keep with two moulded string courses, C20 crenellated parapet, loop windows, small projecting garderobe, now with inserted C20 window. Chapel block: two storeys with undercroft, two 4-light C17 square-headed wooden framed windows, one with chamfered mullions, the other with ovolo moulded mullions (probably imported). Hall block to north-west: two storeys with projecting porch and tall 2-light traceried window with traceried transom lighting staircase to right. Curtain walls with C20 crenellated parapet, mainly loop embrasures and cruciform loops to north-east wall. Corbelled circular bartizan to east. Interior: C15 fireplace with moulded jambs and square head, herringbone brickwork to back in north-west wall of upper room of gate house. Chapel contains imported furnishings, wooden screenand panelling. Moated site. The castle belonged to the Wakes and then the Mortimer family in the C14 and C15. It was Royalist during the Civil War and suffered greatly during the siege of 1644 when largely ruined. During the early C20 the castle belonged to Thomas Bartlett, a doctor and antiquarian and bishop of a little known Anglo-Orthodox sect, who restored it to its present state. (4)
SO 488193. Rectangular castle, rather weak, with wet moat. Extant 1219, and captured 1644. (5)
Additional references. (6)
Listed by Shoesmith. (7) |