Historic Places in Herefordshire

Croft Castle and its 1500 acre estate and ancient woodland is situated four miles north of Leominster between the villages of Mortimer's Cross and Orleton in the heart of the Herefordshire countryside. The castle is approached along a tree lined avenue which reaches a gothic arched curtain wall, through the arch the roadway leads down the castle. The castellated manor house dating back to the 15th century comprises of a three story quadrangled main building built around a central courtyard with round towers at each corner and a small square tower on the north side added in the 16th century, adjacent to the front of the castle is a 13th century church. Facilities Guided tours of the house are available between 11 am and 1pm (during the open season) with visitors being able to tour much of the house without a guide between 1 and 5pm. The castle also has its own shop and tea room and two self catering cottages sleeping 5 to 6 people. A popular alternative or addition to a visit here is a hike along the Mortimer trail which passes through parts of the estate and a very important Iron Age Hill Fort. The parkland is open year round from dawn until dusk and the castle Wednesday through to Sunday between 1 and 5pm March until November (everyday during August) with visits to the gardens and guided tours available from 11am, the castle is also open at weekends during November and December. The original building on the site was built in the 11th century. The castle does not have a history of sieges and battles but the Croft family were extremely influential within the area. Herbert Croft was the Dean and Bishop of nearby Hereford Cathedral and Sir Richard Croft the Sheriff of Herefordshire. Most of the family members were involved in battles both locally at Mortimers Cross; on land they also owned, and also further a field. It was Sir Richard Croft who captured Prince Edward at the battle of Tewksbury in 1471 and was made a knight by Henry VI. By the end of the civil war the Croft family were in deep financial difficulty and were forced to mortgage the property and leave. The castle changed hands several times before being sold to the new sheriff of Herefordshire, Davies of Wigmore. Finally in 1923 Sir James Croft's trustees were able to buy back the castle and the whole estate was once again reunited. In 1956 the estate was in trouble again after the death of Major Owen Croft. Death duties and escalating costs involved in its upkeep forced the family got together with the National Trust to raise funds for repairs and the continuing maintenance the property. Today although run by the National Trust the castle still has members of the family in residence.

Eastnor Castle is set in a 5,000 acre estate in the Malvern Hills, about two miles from the market town of Ledbury in the village of Eastnor. From a distance the 19th century rectangular castle gives the impression of a medieval fortress, it is built over two floors with tall circular turrets at each corner and square towers at the centre. The Norman revival style castle is built of sandstone and sits above the lake with views over the deer park and arboretum below. Facilities The castle is home to the Hervey-Bathurst family but is open to the public during the Easter and the May Bank Holiday weekends, Sunday's from June until October and from Sunday to Thursday from the middle of July until the end of August. During the summer months the castle organizes evens such as battle reconstructions, the Land Rover Challenge and children's theatre as well as a maze and assault course, adventure playground and walks around the woodland and lake and even offers camping and caravanning in the deer park. The kitchen cafe serves homemade locally produced food and the gift shop is open for souvenirs. Eastnor also operates as a wedding venue both for civil ceremonies and receptions. During the winter the Great Hall with its roaring log fire is a grand reception area and during the summer months the French windows are opened onto the patio overlooking the lake where drinks receptions are held. Ceremonies are held in the Gothic Drawing Room licensed for up to 80 guests, with dining taking place in the State Dining Room. Following the wedding the newly weds and their guests can choose to stay in some of the castle's bedrooms, all decorated in individual styles. The Cocks family purchased the land in the 16th century, their children married into the wealthy Sommers and Nash families and by 1810 the family was able to build a castle on the site as a defense against the Welsh. The castle was left uninhabited from 1926 until 1945 when the family lived in Australia and after their return whilst it was made available to the government for use in the Second World War; although it was never used. In 1945 Lady Sommers returned to live in the servant's wing until 1949 when Elizabeth Sommers Cocks and Benjamin Hervey Bathurst moved in and started renovating and repairing the castle after years of neglect. The current family members arrived in 1998 and received grants from English Heritage for external repairs and now operate tourism and wedding ventures to help with the upkeep of the castle. The Arts Each year in August the Deer park plays host to the 'Big Chill' Festival specializing in Indie, Dance, Reggae, Folk and Chillout music. As well as music the castle has been used for many TV productions and was also the setting for the 1969 film 'One More Time' starring Sammy Davis Jr. and an adaptation of Oscar Wildes 'The Canterville Ghost' in 1986.

Set on top a wooded hillside overlooking the river Wye, Goodrich castle sits between Ross on Wye 4 miles away and Monmouth, and is one of the gateways between England and Wales The ruined Norman medieval castle is built of red sandstone. The keep today is 60 feet in height; although originally it would have been taller and topped with battlements. The castles' barbican or outer protective fortification is very well preserved with two bridges passing at right angles to one another. Facilities The castle is open to the public daily between April and October from 10am and from November to March Wednesdays though to Sundays. There is also a cafe offering a range of snacks and drinks. Visitors to the castle can explore alone, with the help of an audio guide or take part in a guided tour (advance booking of one month required). The tours are conducted by one of the castle's keen enthusiasts who gives visitors a glimpse into how the site was developed, the history and information on the architecture and conservation work on the site. At the time of the Doomsday survey the original manor was owned by Godric Marolestone and it was called 'Godric's Castle. Between 1148 and1176 the square keep was added and under King John the castle and title Earl of Pembroke was granted to William Marshall a great builder who made additions to the inner ward. Marshal's sons inherited the castle on his death, but the last of them died childless, so at the end on the 13th century William de Valence, half bother to Henry III, was granted the castle. He was responsible for transforming the tower building by adding four huge walls around the keep with circular towers at three corners and at the fourth corner a gatehouse and a semi circular barbican. Following the death of his son Aymer in 1323 the castle passed by marriage to Richard, 2nd Baron Talbot the family were made Earls of Shrewsbury during the 15th century. In 1616 the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury died without leaving a male heir and so the castle was granted to the Earl of Kent, Henry Gray, but it was left unoccupied. The castle was used as a garrison during the civil war in 1643 and was subject to one of Herefordshire's most desperate sieges where the castle was virtually ruined. The castle was sold and passed through many hands until finally coming into the care of the commissioner of Works and is now managed by English Heritage who have returned the only surviving Civil War mortar 'roaring Meg' back to the castle.

Kilpeck Castle is located about eight miles south west of Hereford.. The earthworks consist of a motte with a base diameter of about 50m at the base and about 8m at the top. The motte is surrounded by a ditch. The inner bailey has remains of a wall along the north and south sides. There are fragments of wall from the 12th century or 13th century keep on the motte summit. The keep is thought to have been polygonal in shape. A deep well has also been discovered within the keep. The remains of chimney flues are also visible within the wall fragments. The ruins are in very poor condition. Kilpeck Castle is thought to have been built first around 1090. King John stayed in the castle in 1211,1212 and 1214. The castle was abandoned in the late 14th Century and it was falling into ruin by the 16th century. During the Civil War it was garrisoned between 1635-1645. The Parliamentarians destroyed it at the end of the war.

Longtown Castle near Longtown in Herefordshire is a ruined twelfth-century castle of early Norman date, notable for its rare cylindrical keep, one of the earliest round keeps in England built around 1210 when this form was being developed as an alternative to the square tower. The castle was associated with the de Lacy family, who were among the most powerful of the Anglo-Norman marcher lords controlling the frontier between England and Wales. The cylindrical keep at Longtown is an unusually early example of the round tower form that became fashionable in castle design in the early thirteenth century. The castle is managed by English Heritage and is freely accessible in the Black Mountains foothills close to the English-Welsh border. The surrounding Golden Valley of Herefordshire provides one of the most scenically attractive rural landscapes on the Welsh Marches.

Wigmore Castle near Wigmore in Herefordshire is a ruined medieval castle that was one of the most powerful fortresses of the Welsh Marches, the ancestral stronghold of the Mortimer family who were among the greatest of all the Anglo-Norman marcher lords. The Mortimers controlled vast territories on both sides of the English-Welsh border and played central roles in many of the most dramatic events of medieval English history, including the overthrow of Edward II and the regency of the young Edward III. The ruined castle occupies a prominent ridge with commanding views across the rolling hills of the Welsh Marches. The site is managed by English Heritage and freely accessible. The surrounding landscape of north Herefordshire and the Marches provides some of the most attractive and historically layered countryside in England.