More information : (SO 71679285) Castle (NR) (site of) (NAT)
(SO71659278) Tower (NR) (remains of) NAT) (1)
Bridgnorth Castle was probably built by Robert of Belleme about 1101-2 on the abandonment of Quatford (SO 79 SW 29) and was situated, according to Florence of Worcester, on the site of a Saxon burh (SO 79 SW 58) built by Ethelfleda in 912 AD. Belleme surrendered the castle to Henry I in 1102. It then fell into the hands of Hugh de Mortimer during Stephen's reign but was surrendered to Henry II in 1155. In 1211-2 a barbican was added to protect the entrance, which apparently had no gatehouse. There is also documentary evidence for a tower (interval?) and royal chapel. By Henry VIII's reign the castle was in ruins, the keep surviving until 1646 when it was slighted by the Parliamentarians. The original church of St Mary Magdalene (SO 79 SW 24) stood within the castle. The shattered walls of the tower keep built between 1105 and 1113, and a fragment of the curtain wall extending from the south wall remain. A portion of the wall around the summit of Castle Hill is said to be extant in the yard of the White Lion in West Castle Street while remains of the wall of the Ward form the eastern boundary of gardens to modern properties on the east side of East Castle Street.
In 1976 at SO 7159 9300 a short length of the inner face of the red sandstone wall of the outer bailey was revealed immediately south of its north west corner, under the present Post Office buildings (8), probably part of the Castle wall which was demolished in 1901 during the building of the Post Office (7). The only remains now visible of the King's House, within which was the castle hall, are some fragments of well built masonry which stand close to the west side of the tower. It apparently extended from where the Tower House (sic) now is to the southern extremity of the Castle Hill, all along the western side of the inner bailey. (For castle gate and postern gates see SO 79 SW 75). Gde 1. (6) (2-8)
Bridgnorth Castle was situated on a steep sided promontory overlooking the River Severn. The remains are fragmentary and unconnected and most of the site has been built over but the area enclosed by the bailey wall appears to have measured 360.0m from north to south and 160.0m from west to east at its widest point.
SO 7165 9278. Three sides of the Keep, 18 to 20.0m in height remain leaning spectacularly to the east. (See photograph). There is a fragment of another building (? the Kings House) on its south-west side ('B' on plan -Authty 5). 10.0m to the south-east there is a large slab of fallen masonry, probably from the Keep.
SO 71599300: A 12.0m length of ancient sandstone walling, formerly the boundary wall of the yard of the White Lion may be part of the outer bailey wall (See photograph).
SO 71729285 to SO 71729302: An old stone wall 163.0m in length, much rebuilt, follows a sinuous course on the east of East Castle Street. (9)
Additional information (10-11) Scheduled. (12)
SO 716 927. Bridgnorth Castle. Scheduled. (13)
Listed by Cathcart King. (14) |