Ellingham Castle: Quarry Wood: Hellens

Much Marcle, Herefordshire.

Possible fortified manor house of T-shaped plan. Now vanished.

Tower of the castle was turned into a dovecote.

Owned by the Mortimer family.

James Audley, companion to the Black Prince, rented out the manor. He then leased it to Walter de Helyon.

Said to be haunted by a monk murdered by the Roundheads during the Civil War.

Materials taken and used for building materials and road construction.

1096                            ? c: William II granted the manor to Hamelin de Balun, Baron of Abergavenney.

11 C                            Occupied by French monks.

c.1225                         John de Balun (or Baladun) witnessed the signing of the Magna Carta

1257                             John de Balun assisted Humphry de Bohun in protecting the Welsh Marches.

1284                            The manor was held by Isolda, Ralph de Mortimer’s daughter, whose husband Walter de Bohun had died

•                          Isolda married secondly Hugh de Audley

1301                            Owned by the Lords Audley, Earl of Gloucester. Used as a Court and had gallows set up.

1317                           Hugh de Audley, son of Isolda and Hugh de Audley, was summoned to Parliament

1337                           Hugh de Audley was created Earl of Gloucester

•                          Hugh’s nephew James de Audley inherited the Manor. He had fought at Poitiers during the Hundred Years War.

1346                            The Black Prince stayed at the castle.

1369                            Sir James de Audley died. Having no heirs the Manor passed to his niece, who had married Ralph, first Earl of Stafford, one of the founders of the Order of The Garter.

c.1403                         Edmund, 5th Earl of Stafford, and grandson of Ralph, 1st Earl of Stafford, sold it to Thomas Walwyn.

1467                            Thomas Walwayn died.

13-14 C                       Possibly built.

1525                            Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) stayed at the castle.

1553                            Sir Richard Walwayn was knighted by Queen Mary.

1573                            Sir Richard Walwayn died

15-16C                        Late/early: Built.

•                           Sir Richard’s descendant, John, died without male issue and the manor was divided between his two daughters.

1641                            Dovecote renovated.

1642-1651                   Civil War: Was used as a secret Royalist headquarters. Sir Philip Musgrove is believed to haunt the music room.

17 C                            Early: Derelict. Said to be haunted the ghost of Hetty Walwyn who was locked in a room for thirty years.

1789                            The south wing was built.