Eardisley Castle: Herdeslege: Ardelea: Eardisley: Erdsley: Irdesle

PRIVATE PROPERTY

• Kington, Herefordshire. 
• Scheduled Monument.

 

Medieval castle within a rectangular enclosure. Oval mound measuring approximately 10.8 m in diameter at its base and standing 4.3 m high. A wet moat encloses an area of 1.25 acres and is partially filled in. Stood in a forest. Originally had a triple moat and a strong dungeon.

 

1086                            Fortified house owned by Roger de Lacy.

1183                            Called a castle.

1216                            recorded as being a castle.

1240                            Passed to the de Bohuns.

1262                            Christmas: Plundered by the Welsh.

1263                            Roger Clifford captured the unpopular Savoyed Bishop of Hereford, Peter of Aigueblanche, and imprisoned him at the castle as well as the Sheriff of Gloucester.

1272                            A licence was issued to William Baskerville to hold services in the castle chapel.

1272/7                         Edward I confiscated the castle from the de Bohuns and gave it to Roger de Clifford, but this did not last long as the de Bohuns laid siege and retook it.

1284                            Sir Walter de Baskerville died and his brother Richard, inherited.

1372                            The castle passed back to the Crown when the Earldom of Hereford was dissolved and the de Bohuns had to give up the castle.

1374                            In ruins.

1403                            Henry IV ordered the castle to be refortified against attacks from Owain Glyndwr. Nichols Montgomery was placed in charge of the castle.

1448                            Charges of adultery were bought against Sir John Baskerville, who was living at the castle with Joanna Bryan. Both were married to other people.

1536                            Sir James Baskerville raised 100 men to help Henry VIII deal with an uprising.

1544                            Sir James Baskerville raised men for Henry VIII to fight in France.

1603-1625                   Sir Humphrey Baskerville sold off much of the estate.

1640                            Thomas Baskerville , son of Sir Humphrey, married Francis Pember at the castle

1642-1646                   Belonged to Sir Humphrey Baskerville.

1642-1656                   Thomas Baskerville fathered eleven children. Most were baptized at the castle.

1645                            November: Burnt down except for one of the gatehouses.

1647                            Sir Humphrey Baskerville died.

1648                            The Baskervilles were living in the gatehouse.

1670                            The ruins of the gatehouse were being lived in by a member of the Baskerville family, in poverty.

1670-1680                   Castle House was built within the bailey

1683                            Sir Thomas Baskerville died and was succeeded by his son, Benhail.

1684                            Benhail Baskerville died.

1684                            The castle ruins were sold to William Barnesley, a lawyer from London

1684                            After: Sold to Dr. Pettit, who sold it on to Mr. Perry.

*                                  When Mr. Perry died W. Perry Herrick inherited the castle.

19 C                            Castle House/Castle Farm was owned by the Perry-Herrick family

1922                            The old Castle House stopped holding the Court Leet and the Court Baron as Manorial Courts were abolished.

1990                            Forty six sherds of pottery were found when a barn was converted into four apartments. Most of the pottery was Medieval and one piece of Roman pottery.

1990’s                         The Davies family sold the land.

1994                            Watching Brief.

20 C                            Early: Sold to the Davies family.