Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• PRIVATE CHAPEL (14th century to 16th century - 1380 AD to 1535 AD)

Summary

An 18th century farmhouse stands on the site of Tyrley castle. The castle built soon after the conquest by the Pantulfs, but is only documented from 1281 in the will of Ralph Le Botiler as an unfinished fortalice. Documented violent disputes between Botiler and the Cistercian Monks of Combermere Abbey, who were lords of Market Drayton, around 1280 alternatively suggests the castle might have actually been built in response to this conflict as the castle site is only 500m from the church of Market Drayton which was a focus of this dispute. A park was linked to the castle and had been in existence since the mid-13th century, which could alternatively mean that the castle was in fact a post-conquest fortification or that a high-status residence at the manor of Tyrley had preceded the building of the castle in the 1280s. The castle probably fell into disuse in the 14th century.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA3208 - 1958 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA3209 - 1962 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA3210 - 1884 excavation
• ESA4613 - 1910 excavation

Description

A farmhouse (SA 14060) stands on the site of the castle which was left unfinished by Ralph de Botillar, who died in 1281 <1a>

There are no definite remains of earthworks. <1b>

Tyrley Castle was probably built soon after the Conquest by the Pantulfs. it was enlarged and improved in the last quarter of the C13 when Welsh raids became troublesome and probably fell into disuse in the following century. <1c>

Tyrley Castle is an C18 red brick farmhouse (SA 14060) which incorporates some red sandstone blocks. The latter is probably reused material. The house stands on a antural ridge. Slopes down to the N on the OS 25ins map are natural, marking the former south bank of the river Tern, and a fringe of slopes shown to the south of the house possibly results from gardening. Nothing of archaeological interest in the area. OS FI 1962 <1><1d>

TIRLEY, at the date of Domesday, a Shropshire Manor of William Pantulf of WEM...had become the site of a castle, built by William Pantulf, or one William Pantulf's successors <2a>

A rise in the value of the Manor between 1066 and 1086 supports the conjecture of a castle here. Probably soon after the Conquest a rude fortification of earthwork and timber was made here..This was enlarged and improved in the last quarter of the C13 ..by Ralph le Boteler...After the invention of gunpowder, TIRLEY CASTLE became untenable...In the C14 extent s it is called simply the capital messuage or manor house. The castle is not mentioned in the sale of the Manor (1532) but appears in the Court Rolls prior to 1583 and the name was in general use after that date. The castle hill is a ridge about 300 yds long with an almost sheer descent on the northern side, but sloping gradually towards the east west and south...The original Norman keep must have stood about in the middle of the present farmhouse upon a knob of rock; and this was no doubt the central point of the stone building erected in the C13. Excavations in 1884 and 1910 revealed a long stretch of the outer wall of the later castle. These foundations were largely rubble but two courses of chamfered plinth stones were found in situ. These were removed and have been re-erected in the garden at Peatwood, half a mile to the east. Outside these foundations the ancient ditch, eighteen feet wide and filled up with black soil was found. Some ashes, two old Broseley pipe bowls and some brown and yellow slip pottery were also dug up; and it would seem there had been a fire at some time. There is a depression on the western side of the house towards the garden suggesting that the ditch continued round that side. Some holes were dug there, but nothing of interest was found. On the north side of the house there is some stone ashlar work, with a chamfered plinth and a rounded corner, which may be a remnant of the C13 building.....The bailey was probably on the north east side of the keep on a lower level, the site being occupied by the existing farm buildings. . <2b>

The late C18 brick farmhouse (SA 14060) is situated on the remains of a large mound and incorporates at the NW corner (the Dairy) the masonry referred to by Sneyd (in 1755) <2bi>

This does not appear to be original work as it is comprised of local sandstone which weathers quickly and this has a fresh appearance. No evidence of a bailey. ...OS FI 1958 <2>

The site is now occupied by a post-medieval farm with no upstanding earthworks or masonry surviving. It has been suggested that Tyrley Castle was established in the late 11th or 12th century by the Pantulf family, and was subsequently enlarged in the late 13th century. Nothing is known of the castle form to suggest the date of construction, and excavations in 1884 and 1910 have left no useful record, although rubble and limited ashlar stonework was uncovered and subsequently removed, as well as an outer ditch with supposed evidence of burnt material (see <2b>). <4>

A chapel was recorded at Tyrley in 1534-5 when it was endowed with the charge of 2s 4d on the vicarage of the Church of St Mary in Market Drayton. Tyrley was part of Drayton-in-Hales parish and as a manor formed part of the Barony of Wem. Although Drayton had once formed part of the landholdings of the Pantulf family, the original barons of Wem, relations had soured by the late 13th century when there were episodes of open violence between factions from Tyrley and the servants of Combermere Abbey who held Drayton. A chapel may have been built soon after in the aftermath of this situation. An oratory was record in a license to the Botiler family in Tyrley around 1380 and was likely to have been situated in the castle or its immediate vicinity, and may have been a direct predecessor of the later chapel. <5>

Sources

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