A guest post by Lottie Westfield
A hidden medieval gem, Stokesay castle is one of the earliest examples of a fortified manor house in England. Located in a serene Shropshire valley, Stokesay castle was built in the 1280s by wealthy wool merchant Lawrence de Ludlow. Although its interior strongrooms and exterior walls and moat (later torn down in the 1640s) give the superficial impression of strength, the castle was never intended for real military use. Full of atmosphere and evocative of times past, a visit to Stokesay today is a step back in time with plenty of fascinating parts to explore.
13th-century buildings: the great hall and solar
Lawrence de Ludlow, one of the richest men in the country at the time, designed Stokesay castle to reflect his unrivaled personal style, wealth, and status. Fascinatingly, Stokesay’s great hall — the castle’s main public room — has been left virtually untouched for over 700 years. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to appreciate the open hearth and fine timber roof and staircase (the treads are cut from whole tree trunks), dating back to 1291. The great hall also features massive shuttered gable windows that provide gorgeous views of the Shropshire countryside. The north tower lies at one end of the great hall — complete with its own original medieval tiled floor and wall painting — while a two-storey solar flanks the great hall’s opposite end.
Notably, in the 17th century, the solar was transformed into a fine paneled chamber. The ceiling, cornices, and wall paneling in the solar’s lower room are thought to date back to the early 1660s, and were likely installed by the Baldwyn family (who restored the castle during the Commonwealth period). The solar’s upper room also features a stunning overmantel (also dating back to the early 1660s) carved with various figures, flowers, and fruit. You’ll even notice some of the colorful original gold, red, and green paint on the carving is still visible.
The “castle-like” south tower
The south tower lies beyond the solar building. And, as it was probably designed to look like the fortified gatehouses of other castles at the time (Denbigh and Caernarfon, for example), it’s the most visibly “castle-like” part of Stokesay. The south tower is shaped like a lobe octagon and consists of banded stonework, cunningly giving the impression of military strength — a testament to Laurence of Ludlow’s clever design. Once you climb to the top of the south tower, you’re rewarded with excellent views of the surrounding Shropshire countryside.
The gatehouse: a 17th-century addition
The gatehouse is an endearing ochre-orange timber and plaster building, and the only sizable addition made to the castle since the late thirteenth century. It was built by Lord William Craven in 1640-41, the work costing him just over £530 in total. The contrast between this 17th-century semi-timbered house and the 13th-century stone tower is striking, and creates the unusual charm Stokesay is known and loved for today. Notably, civil war erupted in 1642 the following year, but Stokesay castle successfully avoided destruction, making it one of the most interesting sites for military history buffs to explore. Since Craven was a dedicated Royalist, he was put in charge of garrisoning the castle as per the king’s orders — however, this was Stokesay’s first and last military encounter. In 1645, the Royalist garrison surrendered to Parliamentarian forces with little fighting or bloodshed. Although the victors demolished the curtain walls, the gatehouse was left intact.
Unfortunately, Stokesay was left largely neglected over the centuries, with dedicated restoration beginning in the early 20th century. Then, in the later part of the 1980s, English Heritage launched a successful four-year restoration project, making Stokesay castle what it is today. On your walk through the gatehouse, keep an eye out for the wonderful ornate carvings found on the numerous lintels and brackets supporting the upper floors. Here, you’ll find dragons, angels, and a stunning, intricate biblical frieze of the fall of man bordered by trees of life.
Stokesay castle is undoubtedly a hidden medieval gem. Since the buildings have been largely left untouched over the years, a visit here is truly a step back to centuries past.
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