Oswestry Castle facts for kids
Oswestry Castle is an old castle in Oswestry, England. It has been known by many names over time, like Castle Loure and Blancminster. Today, only small parts of the castle remain. It has a long and exciting history, playing a role in many important events between the English and the Welsh.
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Contents
The Castle's Beginnings
The first time Oswestry Castle was mentioned was in 1086. It was called castelle Lurve in the Domesday Book. This book was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. The castle was built by Rainald, who was the Sheriff of Shropshire.
At first, there wasn't a town recorded around the castle. A town called Blancminster (meaning "white church") appeared around 1272. However, the Welsh people were already calling the area Croes Oswallt (Cross of Oswald) in 1254. This name came from Saint Oswald, a Northumbrian king. He was killed in 641 AD at the Battle of Maserfield, which is thought to have happened near Oswestry.
Wars and Changes of Power
After Rainald, the castle was given to Alan fitz Flaad. England then went through a difficult time called the Anarchy (1135–1154). This was a civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda.
The local lord of Oswestry, William FitzAlan, supported Matilda. Because of this, King Stephen took away his lands and titles in 1138. William had to leave England.
The castle was then taken by Madog ap Maredudd, a Welsh prince from Powys. He held it from 1149 to 1154. But when Henry II became king in 1154, William FitzAlan got his lands back. He also became the Sheriff of Shropshire again until he died in 1160.
English and Welsh Conflicts
After this, there were many fights between the Welsh and the English. Oswestry Castle was attacked and damaged many times. In 1165, King Henry II used the castle as a base. He was leading a campaign against Owain Gwynedd, a powerful Welsh prince, but it was not successful.
In 1211, King John attacked Llywelyn the Great, another Welsh prince. Oswestry Castle came under attack during this time. By 1270, the castle's walls were made bigger to protect the town as well. However, the castle became less important for military battles over time.
Later History and Destruction
Oswestry Castle was the location of a special meeting called a parliament in 1398. This meeting was held by King Richard II.
During the Civil War in the 1600s, the castle was held by Royalist troops. These were soldiers who supported the King. But in 1644, the castle was captured by the forces of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell's soldiers were called Roundheads. By 1650, the Roundheads had mostly destroyed the castle.
What Remains Today
Today, you can still see parts of Oswestry Castle. The main part is a large mound of earth called a motte. It is about 12 meters (39 feet) high. At its base, it measures about 52 by 72 meters (170 by 236 feet).
Castle Structures
- Keep: You can see the broken parts of the stone keep on top of the motte. The keep was the strongest tower in the castle. These remains might be from the 13th century. The keep is a Grade II Listed Building, meaning it's an important historical site. We don't know exactly what the inside of the keep looked like. But a list from 1398 mentions three rooms, a main hall, a chapel for St. Nicholas, a kitchen, a larder (for food storage), and a buttery (for drinks).
- Bastion: To the southeast of the keep, there are remains of a bastion. This was a strong part of the castle wall that stuck out. It was mostly rebuilt in the late 1800s. This bastion is also a Grade II Listed Building.
- Walls and Gate Piers: The old castle walls and the pillars at the gates are also Grade II Listed.
The Bailey and Town
The bailey was a large courtyard area next to the motte. It was probably where the town of Oswestry first started to grow. The town grew beyond the bailey's limits before the late 1200s. That's when the town walls were built. You can still find clues about the bailey in street names today, like Bailey Street and Bailey Head.
