Weoley Castle: Welegh

• Northfield, Worcestershire
• OSGB – SP 0215 8275
• Scheduled Monument
• Grade II Listed Building

Fortified manor house which had six towers and covered approximately 4 acres.

Stone was taken from the site to build Weoley Castle Farm.

900                              Owned by the Saxon, Wulfwin.

1066                            William I granted the land to William Fitz Ansculf.

1066-1322                   Owned by the Fitz Ansculf family.

1100                            c: Beatrice Fitz Ansculf married Fulke Pagnel and inherited.

1194                            Hawaise Fitz Ansculf, wife of Ralph de Somery, inherited the castle.

1189-1199                   Between: Hawaise and Ralph contributed a large amount of money towards Richard I’s ransom.

1260                            c: Built.

1265                            16^th March: Roger de Somery (1) was given the lands by Henry III and a licence to crenellate the manor house was granted.

1272                            Roger de Somery died and his son, Roger (2), took over the castle and built a chapel and deepened the moat.

1292                            Roger de Somery (2) died and his brother John de Somery, Baron of Dudley held the castle.

13^th C                          Wooden buildings and a wooden bridge across the moat.

1321                            John de Somery died and the estate was divided between his sisters Margaret and Joan.

1322                            Joan, wife of Thomas de Botetourt, lived at the castle. He possibly built the Great Hall and the stone kitchen.

1339                            Joan de Botetourt died and her son, John inherited.

1384                            John de Botetourt died and his closest relative, Joyce, wife of Sir Hugh Burnell, inherited the castle. They improved the Great Tower and built the octagonal tower.

1407                            Joyce died childless.

1416                            Sir Hugh de Burnell died. The state was split three ways between Joyce Peshell, Joan Wykes and Catherine de Botetourt.

1416                            After: Joyce Wykes and Joyce Peshell sold their one third interests in the lands to Lady Beauchamp.

1424                            c; Catherine de Botetourt gained control of all the lands owing to a court ruling. She married Sir Maurice Berkeley and became Lady Berkeley.

1464                            Sir Thomas Berkeley inherited the castle.

1485                            Sir Thomas Berkeley fought with Richard III at Bosworth and lost his lands.

*                                  Sold to Richard Jervoise, a London merchant.

*                                  Richard Jervoise rented the lands to John Churchman.

17^th C                          Mid: In ruins.

1809                            The Jervoise family sold the castle to Daniel Ledsom.

*                                  When Daniel Ledsom died his nephew Joshua Frederick Ledsom held the lands.

*                                  The last private owner was James Coddington Ledsom.

1929                            James Coddington Ledsom died and the lands were sold to the City of Birmingham.

1932-1939                   Excavated by Birmingham Archaeological Society.

1955-1960                   Excavated by Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery.

1960-1961                   Excavated by Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery.

1962                            Excavated by Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery.

2000                            Architectural Survey by M. Cook.