Wilton Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilton Castle |
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| Herefordshire, England | |
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 Wilton Castle
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| Coordinates | 51°54′58″N 2°35′48″W / 51.916163°N 2.596635°W |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Still standing, mostly to battlement height |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Stone |
Wilton Castle is an old castle from the 1100s. It was built by the Normans, who came from France. You can find it in south-eastern Herefordshire, England. The castle sits right next to the River Wye and the town of Ross-on-Wye. It got its name from the large piece of land, called a manor, that it was built on.
Even today, much of the castle walls still stand tall. It reminds us of the powerful families who once lived there.
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Wilton Castle: A Look Back
Wilton Castle was built in the 12th century. This means it was built sometime in the 1100s. It was a strong stone castle, designed to protect the land and its owners.
Who Owned Wilton Castle?
Over the years, several important families owned Wilton Castle.
The Longchamp Family
One of the first powerful families to own the castle was the Longchamps of Wilton. They were very important people in their time. Members of this family held big jobs, like:
- Bailiffs of Normandy: These were like governors in Normandy, a region in France.
- Chancellors of England: This was a top advisor to the King of England.
- Sheriffs of Hereford and the Welsh Marches: Sheriffs were like local police chiefs or administrators. The Welsh Marches were lands near the border of England and Wales.
The Longchamps even had disagreements with King John!
The De Cantilupe and De Grey Families
After the Longchamps, the De Cantilupe and De Grey families took over. They became very powerful in Wales and the Welsh Marches.
In 1292, a woman named Matilda de Grey (who was born a De Cantilupe) told King Edward I of England something that wasn't true. She claimed her Longchamp ancestors built the castle way back when Edward the Confessor was king (1042–1066). But historians know the castle couldn't have been built before 1154. Also, the castle's land did not have the special rights she claimed for it.
The Barons Grey of Wilton
The castle became most famous for being linked to a branch of the Grey family, known as the Barons Grey of Wilton. They were a very important Norman family. They were also "Marcher Lords," which meant they had special powers in the lands along the border of England and Wales. They owned Wilton Castle from at least 1308.
The Castle's End
Wilton Castle stopped belonging to the Grey family in the 1500s. William Grey was captured by the French army in 1557. He had to sell the castle to get enough money for his freedom.
The castle was finally destroyed during the English Civil War. This war was fought in England between 1642 and 1651. It was a fight between the King's supporters (called Royalists or Cavaliers) and the Parliament's supporters. Local Royalist troops, led by Barnabas Scudamore, attacked and ruined the castle. During this time, other nearby castles like Goodrich Castle and Raglan Castle also saw fighting.
