Croft Castle

Leominster

Scheduled Monument

Iron Age fort. Quadrangular castle.

Began as an eastern ringwork with pallisade and timber buildings.

Had cylindrical towers at the corners and a rectangular tower in the north wall.

Has a chestnut tree avenue

1086                            Domesday: Mentioned.

1086-1100                   Held by Bernard de Croft.

14-15 C                       Dates from.

1400                            c: Rebuilt in stone.

1461                            Held by Sir Richard Croft, a Yorkist, during the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross.

1471                            Richard Croft captured Prince Edward at the Battle of Tewkesbury.

15 C                            Tower and walls, to the west and south west.

1535                            Itinerary of John Leland: Walled.

1542                            James Croft was MP for Herefordshire.

1640’s                         Slighted when its owner, Sir Richard, fought for King Charles. He did not want Parliament to use it.

1644                            Plundered by Irish levies working for the Royalists.

1645                            Charles I visited the castle.

1648                            Country house.

17 C                            Restored and converted into a mansion. Gardens laid out.

1746                            The Croft family sold it to Richard Knight.

1750-1760                   c: The east range dates from.

1750-1760                   Gothicized.

18 C                            Dating from: Jacobean interior.

1800                            c: Park landscaped by Somerset Davies and Richard Payne Knight

1923                            The Croft family bought the castle back from the Knevill Davies family

1913                            New porch was added.

1947                            Herbert Crofts son, Michael, bought back the remainder of the castle lands and sold it all to Major Owen Croft.

1956                            Major Croft died and the Ministry of Works bought the castle. The National Trust took over the castle.

1957                            Gardens around the castle designed by Graham Thomas and Mrs. D. Uhlman.

1998                            Watching Brief by Worcestershire County Council Archaeological Service.

20 C                            The National Trust maintains the castle. Members of the Croft family still live at the castle.

2000                            Filed Observation.

2000                            Watching Brief by Marches Archaeology.

2001                            Excavated by Herefordshire Archaeology.

2002                            Management survey by Herefordshire Archaeology.

2002                            August: Excavated by Herefordshire Archaeology.