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Medieval motte and bailey castle defended by a strong counterscarp bank, outer bank and ditch. The bailey was kidney shaped and surrounded by a curtain wall and ditch. Had a keep, walls and towers. Mound held an octagonal keep of sandstone and ashlar with a comfered string course, to which the curtain wall was abutted.
Held by John Vaux.
1051-1052 c: Built by Osbern, son of Richard Fitz Scrob.
1056 c: Simon le Scrope was born at the castle.
1080 Walter le Scrope was born at the castle.
1086 Domesday: Wooden castle held by Osbern Fitz Richard and called Castella Avreton.
1102 Walter le Scrope married at the castle.
1103 Hugh le Scrope was born at the castle (?).
1152 Hugh de Say was Lord of Richard’s Castle
1186 Osbern Fitz Hugh died and Hugh Say inherited.
1190 Hugh de Say died and his son, Hugh inherited.
1197 Hugh de Say had died and Margaret married Hugh Ferrers
12 C Octagonal tower measuring 50ft in diameter with the walls 2ft thick
1200 c: Held by the Mortimer family.
1204 Hugh de Ferrers died and Margaret had her lands taken by King John, they were then held by Earl Thomas Galway of Athol.
1207 Earl Thomas Galway of Athol handed the lands back to the Crown.
1211 June: Margaret Say married Robert Mortimer of Essex and held the castle.
1216 A licence for a weekly market was granted by King John.
1219 Robert Mortimer died.
1219 November: Margaret married William Stutville.
1259 William Stutville died.
1259 20th May: Margaret’s son, Sir Hugh Mortimer, aged 40, inherited the castle.
1264 Simon de Montfort forced Sir Hugh de Mortimer to surrender his lands and castle, he then gave them gave the castle and lands to John Fitz John.
1265 4th August: John Fitz John was captured at the Battle of Evesham.
1265 August: Hugh de Mortimer regained the castle.
1272 Hugh Mortimer became Sheriff of Hereford.
1275 Hugh Mortimer died and his son, Robert inherited the castle.
1287 Robert Mortimer died and his son, Hugh Mortimer, inherited the castle.
1285 c: Richard Talbot was born at the castle.
13 C The curtain wall was refurbished with towers added on the north western side.
13 C Late: Began to loose its importance.
1301 Held by Hugh de Mortimer.
1304 Hugh de Mortimer died and two co-heiresses inherited the castle. One of them was Joan Mortimer, married to Sir Richard Talbot.
1317 John Talbot was born at the castle.
1337/1341 John Talbot was born at the castle.
1364 Hugh de Mortimer died. Owned by the Talbot family.
1369 Elizabeth Talbot was born at the castle.
1376 Sir Richard Talbot died.
1380 The Talbot family no longer held the castle.
1537 Owned by the Crown.
1538 Itinerary of John Leland: Ruins.
1545-1546 Henry VIII granted it to the Earl of Warwick, grandfather of Lady Jane Grey.
1548 12th October: The Earl of Warwick leased the castle to William Heath, relative of Nicholas Heath, Bishop of Worcester.
* William Heath held it for a short time then it passed to Richard Cornewall and then to John Bradshaw.
1558 Leased to Richard Bradshaw who married Mary, daughter of Arthur Salwey.
1610 Shown on John Speed’s map as a park.
1841 Only earthworks and fishponds recorded on a tithe map.
1962-1964 Excavated.
1962-1964 Excavated.
20 C Hard to find as completely overgrown.
2000 Field Investigation.