Shotwick Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shotwick Castle |
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| Shotwick Park, Cheshire, England | |
Earthworks of Shotwick Castle
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| Type | Motte-and-bailey |
| Site information | |
| Owner | The Crown |
| Controlled by | Cheshire West and Chester |
| Open to the public |
Free access |
| Condition | Earthworks only |
| Site history | |
| Built | c.1093 |
| Built by | Hugh Lupus, 1st Earl of Chester |
| In use | 11th to 14th century |
| Materials | Stone Timber Earth |
| Demolished | 17th century |
| Battles/wars | None |
| Events | Welsh Wars |
Shotwick Castle was a Norman fort built in the late 1000s. It is located near the village of Saughall, Cheshire, England. The castle's main job was to control a crossing point on the River Dee. This crossing was important because it connected England and Wales. Today, the site is a scheduled monument, which means it's a protected historical place. You can only see its old earth mounds now, as no stone walls remain above ground.
Contents
History of Shotwick Castle
Building the Castle
Hugh Lupus, who was the first Earl of Chester, had Shotwick Castle built around 1093. It was placed on a high piece of land with steep riverbanks. Two streams met the River Dee at this spot.
The castle was a motte-and-bailey type. This means it had a large earthen mound (the motte) and a protected area (the outer bailey). It also had two big ditches that were about 25 meters wide and 3 meters deep. These ditches would fill with water at high tide, making the castle harder to attack. The castle's main purpose was to guard a tidal ford on the river. Later, in the 1700s, the River Dee was moved to a new, man-made path.
Royal Visits and Changes
For many years, the Earls of Chester, like Ranulf de Blondeville, paid to keep the castle's defenses strong. Both King Henry II and King Henry III stayed at Shotwick Castle. They used it during their military trips against the Welsh.
In 1237, Shotwick Castle became property of The Crown (the King). This happened after John, the 7th Earl of Chester, passed away without children. His sisters had to give some of his lands and properties to King Henry III.
In September 1284, King Edward I visited the castle. He was on his way to Flint Castle from Chester Castle. This was after he had finished his second war in Wales.
Losing Importance
After the wars in Wales ended, Shotwick Castle was no longer as important for defense. By 1327, the land around Shotwick was turned into a royal deer park for King Edward III. The king used the castle as a hunting lodge. Some parts of the outer bailey and ditches were even changed into gardens and ponds.
When the Black Prince visited in 1353, the castle didn't even have soldiers guarding it. People started calling it a manor house instead of a castle. The last major repairs were recorded in 1371. By the 1600s, Shotwick Castle was in ruins.
What Remains Today
Archaeological Discoveries
In 1876, a local school teacher named Williams dug up parts of the castle site. He found pieces of glazed pottery, a spur (a tool for riding horses), and parts of deer horns.
Today, not much is left of the castle except for its earth mounds. A study of these earthworks in the 1990s showed something interesting. It suggested that the castle had been turned into a country house with fancy gardens in the late medieval period.
