Brampton Bryan Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Brampton Brian

In the civil parish of Brampton Bryan. In the historic county of Herefordshire (Modern Authority of Herefordshire, 1974 county of Hereford and Worcester).

Late C13 or early C14 castle, constructed of sandstone rubble and ashlar, with C16 and C17 additions to hall range. Beseiged in 1643 and 1644 by the Royalists and taken on the second occasion. Subsequently ruined. The gatehouse and twin towers of the barbican survive. There is also a mutilated mound which may be the remains of an earlier motte and bailey. A view by Buck in 1731 shows little more standing than at present. Sandstone rubble and sandstone dressings. Irregular plan consisting of round gatehouse towers, aligned east/west, between which is a long north/south passage leading to earlier inner gatehouse. Probably formerly three storeys: South elevation has pair of embattled roughly cylindrical round towers linked by two superimposed moulded arches both two-centred Beneath the springing point of the upper arch is a moulded frieze decorated with ball flowers. Both of the arches die into their jambs. The left tower has moulded label over a moulded lancet, two loops beneath and a square small opening above. Right tower has similar fenestration but with a smaller cinquefoil headed two-centred opening. Octagonal central chimney shaft, possibly C16. North elevation has two trefoil-headed openings, one to each former floor above large two-centred entrance arch. Interior has portcullis slots, ogee-headed entry into west tower and a two-centred entry to east tower.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 149493)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO370725

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 106887
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 191 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/castles/castlesdata_az/brampton%20bryan.htm
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/brampton.html
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/brampton.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p516
    Salter, Mike, 2000, Castles of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Malvern) p14-15
    Remfry, Paul M., 1997, Brampton Bryan Castle, 1066 to 1309, and the Civil War, 1642 to 1646 (SCS Publishing: Worcestershire)
    Shoesmith, Ron, 1996, Castles and Moated Sites of Herefordshire (Logaston Press)
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge)p93-4
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p194
    Pevsner, N., 1963, The Buildings of England Herefordshire p82
    RCHME, 1934, An inventory of the historical monuments in Herefordshire. Vol3: north-west p19-21
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p95-7
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol2 (London) p510-5
    Robinson, Rev C.J., 1867, The Castles of Herefordshire and Their Lords (Logaston Press, 2002 reprint) p8-16
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p114
• Journal Articles
  • Halliwell, Peter (ed), 1997, Herefordshire Archaeology News Archaeology Research Section of the Woolhope, Newsletter Vol67
    Halliwell, Peter (ed), 1993, Herefordshire Archaeology News Archaeology Research Section of the Woolhope, Newsletter Vol59
    Halliwell, Peter (ed), 1992, Herefordshire Archaeology News Vol57, 26
    Slade, H.G., 1981, 'Brampton Bryan Castle' Archaeological Journal, 138, 26
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol112 p77-124
    George, R.H., 1920, 'Brampton Bryan Castle' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club p216-19
    La Touche, Rev J.D., 1882, 'Brampton Bryan Castle, its sieges and demolition' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club p189-92
    Banks, R.W., 1867, 'Brampton Brian Castle, Herefordshire' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol22 p138-49
    Banks, R.W., 1864, 'An Account of the Siege of Brampton Bryan Castle' Archaeologia CambrensisVol19 p237-43 [history only]
• Guidebooks
  • Shoesmith, R., 1986, Brampton Bryan Castle (City of Hereford AC)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p238
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/hertseng.html#herts8]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p387