 Stokesay Castle
Stokesay is not so much a castle as a fortified manor house, no longer the
focal point of its original town but standing alone, as do so many castles
and churches today. This very distinctive castle lies in the valley
of the River Onny and was built in the late 13th century,
although its origins can be traced back to the Norman Conquest.
What can be seen today is
largely the work of Lawrence of Ludlow, a leading wool merchant of that
time. He purchased the site in 1281 and commenced building plans, which
are believed to have been completed c1291, when he was
granted a 'license to crenellate' by Edward I. Sadly, Lawrence
was not able to enjoy his new home for long; he was drowned in 1294.
Although castellated, the house was more domestic than military and would not
have survived a determined attack. The moat, however, would have offered
some degree of protection from minor disputes, which were an ever-present
problem during the middle ages.
Stokesay Castle continued to pass
through the generations largely unaltered, until it came into the possession
of William Craven, who let it on a long lease to Charles Baldwyn. It
was the Baldwyn's who were believed to have built the colourful new
timber-framed gatehouse, and who were in occupation during Stokesay's
one and only military encounter during the English Civil War. In 1645, following the capture
of Shrewsbury, the castle endured a short siege after which Cromwell's
officers ordered it to be slighted (demolished). Thankfully, it would appear
that this order was never carried out, except that the curtain walls,
linking the gatehouse to the main building, were removed in 1647.
By 1706 Stokesay Castle had been
deserted, and for the next 150 years was used only for storage by local
farmers. Remaining unoccupied over this period had left the building
in a very dilapidated state but, due to the Victorian interest in Gothic
architecture, the castle's fortunes were revived and moves to restore
Stokesay were made in 1850 by Mrs Stackhouse Acton.
In 1869 ownership passed
to the Allcrofts, who continued to carry out a very sympathetic restoration
programme ensuring that the building survived in all its former glory.
They opened Stokesay Castle to the public in 1908, and guardianship of the property
remained with the family until 1992 when, on the death of Lady
Magnus Allcroft, the estate passed into the care of English Heritage.
Quite remarkably the site
we see today is virtually unchanged from when it was first developed over
700 years ago. Arranged within a pretty cottage garden are the well-preserved
buildings of the Great Hall, the Solar and, across the courtyard, the
elaborate Jacobean gatehouse. With only a rambling churchyard as its
neighbour, Stokesay Castle presents a truly romantic vision in the depths
of the Shropshire countryside close to the Welsh borders. |
