Pembridge Castle: Newland: Penebruge

PRIVATE PROPERTY

• Welsh Newton, Herefordshire. 
• OSGB – SO4881319274.
• Scheduled Monument.
• Grade I Listed Building.

Medieval castle. Rectangular site surrounded by a wet moat. Gatehouse had two storeys and a basement.

Includes a two storied gatehouse, a separate hall block also with tow storeys and a chapel block of three storeys.

Towers and walls were restored by Bishop Dr. Hedley Bartlett.

1135                            c: Built by Ralph de Pembridge.

12-13 C                      Late-early: Keep dates from.

1208                            Owned by the Pembridge family

1215                            Before; Possibly built: Three storied great tower built.

1219                            Completed.

1216-1272                   Between: Owned and lived in by Richard de Pembridge, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

1230                            Held by Henry Pembridge.

1242                            Still held by Henry Pembridge.

1259                            Henry III ordered Henry Pembridge to defend his castle.

1265                            Land given to Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, and the castle became his chief seat.

13 C                            Curtain wall. Gatehouse, curtain wall, undercroft and chapel added.

1387                            Passed to Sir Richard Burley, who died later in the year. It then passed to Edward Tudor, Henry VI’s half brother.

14 C                            Before: Owned by the Wake family.

14 -15 C                      Owned by the Mortimer family.

1445                            Owned by the Hopton family who then sold it to Sir Walter Pye.

1485-1509                   During: Lived in by Sir Richard Birley. Held by the Order of St John.

1588-1603                   During: Lived in by Margaret, Countess Richmond and Derby.

*                                  Bought by Sir Walter Pye.

16 C                            Chapel.

1642-1651                   Held for the king, but was besieged and partly ruined.

1644                            Royalist outpost. Ruined after being seized by Colonal Scudamore for Parliament.

1646                            June: Parliamentary forces were given orders to slight and abandon the castle.

1675                            Repaired and restored by George Kemble.

1679                            Owned by George Kemble: John Kemble, George’s brother and a Catholic priest, was arrested at the castle and executed.

17C                             Hall. Domestic buildings.

1715                            Owned by Henry Scudamore.

1715                            After: Henry Scudamore sold it to the Townleys of Lancashire. The Townleys sold it to the Bailey family.

1905                            Used as a farmhouse.

1914                            Partially restored by Dr. Henry Bartlett

1994                            10^th April: Visited by members of the Woolhope Club.

1994                            Watching Brief by Hereford and Worcester County Council Archaeology Section.

20 C                            Early: owned by Thomas Bartlett.

20 C                            Owned by R.A. Cooke. Reconstructed. Crenellated parapet, loop windows, projecting garderobe and window.

2002                            Management agreement.