Fortified Britain
Educate. Inspire. Preserve.
Worcester Castle: Edgar Tower: Castra Weogernensis: Weogornaceaster: Weogernaceaster: Weogorna.
- Worcester, Worcestershire
- OSGB – SO 8493 5431
- Scheduled Monument
- Listed Building.
Iron Age site, Roman fort and viscus, Medieval motte and bailey castle covering 20 acres and defended by banks and ditches.
Finds on the site include a Bronze Age axe, Roman coins, an urn, and Saxon and Medieval coins.
John Wintour (Winter) one of the conspirators of the gunpowder Plot, was held at the gaol for a short time before being moved to the Tower of London.
150 BC – 43 Dating from: A horse burial was found under the Crowngate Centre.
40’s-50’s Late – early: Roman road ran from Kingsholm to Wroxeter.
1st C Mid: Built.
2nd C Early: Structures date from.
2nd-3rd C Dating from: Pottery found.
3rd – 4th C Timber civilian buildings and iron workings and slag.
5th – 6th C St Helens church built.
628 King Peda of Mercia amalgamated small Anglian and Saxon kingdoms, including Worcester, under the control of Hwicce.
680 Archbishop Theodore created the See of Worcester.
680 After: St Peters church was built within the earthworks near the site of the present cathedral.
736-737 Known as Castra Weogernensis.
960’s-980’s Cathedral was built.
691 Known as Weogornaceaster, Weogernaceaster or Weogorna.
1041 The Danish King, Harthacnut, tried to raise taxes, but the locals killed the tax collector. The King retaliated and the locals fled, so the Danish raiders sacked the town.
1062 Bishop Wulstan (later St. Wulfstan) was appointed Bishop.
1069 Before September: Motte, tower and oval bailey built by Urse d’Abitot, Sheriff of Worcester.
1087-1100 Bishop Wulstan defended the castle and bridge form William II.
1113 Burnt down.
1139 Besieged. The castle held out against Matilda’s supporters.
1150 Besieged. King Stephen took and burnt the city but did not take the castle.
1151 Besieged by King Stephen.
1152 The castle fell to the Earl of Hereford. William Beauchamp was the Constable.
1155 Refortified by Hugh Mortimer.
1204 King John ordered the gateway to be built of stone. Edgar Tower built.
1216 The city backed the French Dauphin, Louis, and King John took the castle and gave it to John Marshall.
1216 King John was buried in the cathedral and the northern part of the bailey including the cathedral were given back to the church
1217 Lands north of the bailey given back to the church.
1221 Used as a prison.
1232 By: Northern part of the bailey given back to the cathedral from whom the land had been taken when it was first built.
1263 Taken during the Baron’s War.
1265 The castle and town were taken by Prince Edward.
1459 In need of repair.
1540 Ruined.
1540-1546 Itinerary of John Leland: In ruins.
1646 22nd July: A detachment from Fairfax’s army secured the castle.
1814 Until: Was still used as a prison.
1823 The Dean and Chapter held the land.
1826 The gaol was demolished.
1826-1846 Motte demolished.
1830 Mound levelled.
1840’s Footings from a circular sandstone building were uncovered which may have been from a Roman Temple.
20th C Part of Kings School.