Bishops Stortford Castle: Stotford: Bishop’s Estereford: Weytemore Castle: Weytemore Mound

Bishops Stortford

Scheduled Monument

Motte and bailey castle. Rectangular shaped site and at the south side a drawbridge crossed the moat and led to the bailey. The bailey was defended by an outer moat. The motte measuring 12.5 m high.  A well measuring 18 m deep still exists on the motte. The keep stood approximately 21 m high.

Was used by the Bishops as a Court.

Chapel of St Paul was built within the castle.

Belonged to Edith, wife of King Harold.

Some of the buildings within the area of the bailey may be of Roman origin.

9 C                              May have been constructed as an area fortified by Edward the Elder, however, not mentioned in the Domesday Survey.

1060                            The castle and town of Stortford were sold to the Bishop William, Bishop of Lincoln.

1085/6                         King William granted the manor to Maurice, Bishop of London.

1135                            c: Keep built.

1135-1154                   During: Matilda is believed to have promised Geoffrey de Mandeville the castle if he rallied to her cause, but that she would destroy it if he didn’t.

1137                            The castle was seiged by Anslem, Abbot of Bury St Edmunds.

1208                            King John ordered the destruction of the castle after seizing it.

1214                            Rebuilt by King John..

1216                            29^th March: King John visited the castle he had been forced to rebuild, and stayed the night.

1346                            Wrought stone used for doorways and a licence to crenellate was granted to Ralph de Stratford, Bishop of London.

15 C                            Fell into disrepair.

1545                            The castle was pulled down after the Bishops Court was moved to Hockerhill.

1558-1603                   During: Castle dues were still being paid.

1578                            Thomas Pounde, a lay brother, was held in the prison for a while.

1642-1651                   Civil War: Slighted.

1649                            The Bishops prison and castle gatehouse were pulled down.

17^th C                          Used as a prison.

1850                            Excavated. Finds included some human bones and part of a wall.

1899                            Excavated .

1900                            Excavated.. Finds included Roman coins.

1990’s                         A number of human bones were discovered dating from the Medieval period.

20 C                            Remains include the keep built in 1214 by King John and the well.