Fortified Britain
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Stafford Castle: Castlechurch: Baron’s Castle; Monteville
- Stafford, Staffordshire
- OSGB – SJ 9025 2225
- Scheduled Monument.
- Grade II Listed Building.
Medieval motte castle with the entrance to the south east and a chapel within the inner bailey.
913 Site fortified by Aethelflaeda, Lady of Mercia, against the Danes.
1066-1069 Built.
1070 William I ordered the castle to be built.
1071 Robert de Todeni, later Robert of Stafford, held the castle for the king.
1071-1088 During: St. Nicholas Chapel was founded at the castle gate.
1086 Destroyed – reasons unknown.
11th C Earth and timber motte and bailey castle site covering 20 acres.
1102 William Pontulf held the castle for Henry I along with a garrison of 200 men.
1134-1154 c: Owned by Robert de Stafford.
1138 c: Nicholas held the castle.
1154 Following the deaths of Robert and Nicholas, the castle passed through marriage of Millicent to Henry Bagot.
13th C Started to decline.
1323 Ralph de Stafford inherited the castle.
1347 Ralph de Stafford started building the keep in stone.
1348 Licence to crenellate granted. Work in stone was undertaken by John of Bicester.
1351 Ralph de Stafford was created the 1st earl of Stafford.
1368 Work on the site included the Upper Hall and Great Chamber, kitchen, pantry, buttery, lower hall, Lords and Ladies privy chambers, wardrobes bedrooms and a chapel.
1444 Owned by Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Repairs carried out.
1467 Village site abandoned.
1485 August: Possible meeting place of Henry Tudor and William, Lord Stanley before the Battle of Bosworth.
1521 Lands of the Duke of Buckingham held by the Crown after he was beheaded.
1524 Barn mentioned on the site.
1537 Duke of Buckingham’s lands still held by the Crown.
1558 c: St. Nicholas chapel still in use.
1603 Edward, Lord Stafford was not happy with the castle.
1634 In ruins.
1642 Lady Isobel Stafford held the castle for the Royalists.
1643 General Brereton took the village but could not take the castle.
1643 5th June: Col. Hastings relieved Lady Isobel Stafford and installed a garrison.
1643 July: General Brereton returned with a force but the castle was abandoned
1643 22nd December: Parliament ordered the castle to be demolished. Held prisoners. Barn destroyed.
1647 The Marquis of Dorchester took possession of the castle.
1653 March: The future of the garrison was considered by the Irish and Scottish Committee.
1653 April: The garrison was disbanded.
1698 Celia Fiennes described the castle as being in ruins.
1783 Inherited by Sir William Jerningham.
1811 Keep partially rebuilt.
1813 Edward Jerningham rebuilt the keep.
19th C Early: The Jerningham family of Norfolk claimed to be heir-apparent and began to rebuild the keep.
1950 The Jerningham family returned to Norfolk and entrusted the castle to caretakers.
1958 Field Investigation.
1961 Lord Stafford gave the castle to Stafford Borough Council by Deed of Gift after a minor lost his life playing in the grounds.
1963 Keep demolished.
1974 Field Investigation.
1978 Reconstruction work began on the castle.
1978-991 Excavated by C. Hill, Stafford Borough Council Archaeology Section.
1988 Opened to the public by the Right Hon. Lord Stafford.
1990 Geophysical Survey by Stafford Borough Council Archaeology Section.
1991 Visitor centre was opened to the public.
1993 Scheduled.
1996-1997 Geophysical Survey by Geophysical Surveys of Bradford.
1996-1997 Earthwork Survey by C. Tuck, M. Jecock, S. Ainsworth, G. Corbett, I. Goodall.