Bridgnorth Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bridgenorth; Brug; Bruges; Burgh; Bridgemouth

In the civil parish of Bridgnorth. In the historic county of Shropshire (Modern Authority of Shropshire, 1974 county of Shropshire).

First founded in 1101 by Robert de Belleme. He held it for only one year before it was confiscated by the King after a three month siege. The Castle was next seized by Hugh de Mortimer during the Anarchy and he held it until 1155 when it was besieged once again and taken. Kings Henry II and John spent a large amount of money on the Castle between 1155 and 1189 during which period the Keep was constructed, and a barbican was later added. Early in the 1200s more work was undertaken on the Castle, but once Edward I had pushed into Wales the Castle fell into disuse. It was besieged and captured once more in 1321 during the Baron's Revolt, but it was soon retaken and returned once again to its slow decay. When Leland surveyed it in 1540 there was still a great deal of the Castle left, including a "great gate". Besieged in Civil War after which slighted, leaving keep at 15 degree angle.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 254386)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO71659278

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 114679
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 00371; 05627; 00422 '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.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/archive/2001bri.html
    http://www.shropshiretourism.info/castles/bridgnorth/
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/bridgenorth.html
• Books
  • Duckers, Peter and Anne, 2006, Castles of Shropshire (Stroud: Tempus) p31-3
    Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern) p2
    Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern) p24-5
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p476
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p209-10
    Salter, Mike, 1993, Midlands Castles (Birmingham) p33-5
    Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p5-7
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p421
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p194
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p114, 116-7
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p576-7
    Pevsner, N., 1958, The Buildings of England: Shropshire (London, Penguin) p82-3
    Watkins-Pitchford, W., 1951, Brief History of Bridgnorth Castle (Shrewsbury)
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p133
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p127-9
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p273-83
    Anderson, J.C., 1864 (2edn 1972), Shropshire, Its Early History and Antiquities p14-16
    Bellett, G., 1856, Antiquities of Bridgnorth (Bridgnorth) [history] http://books.google.com/books?id=qQYNAAAAYAAJ
    Eyton, R.W., 1854-60, Antiquities of Shropshire (London) Vol1 p253-89 [history only]
    King, Edward, 1799-1805, Munimenta antiqua or Observations on antient castles (W.Bulmer and Co) Vol3-4 p246-9
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol5 p2-5
• Journal Articles
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p308
    Roe, A., 1983, ‘Bridgnorth, Shropshire' West Midlands Archaeology Vol26 p86–7
    Mason, J.F.A., 1961-4, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol57 p37-46
    1961, Transaction of the Royal Historical Society Vol5 p21-4
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    Watkins-Pitchford, W., 1947-8, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol52 p164-74
    1937-8, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol49 p200-1
    Watkins-Pitchford, W., 1931-2, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol46 p5-8
    Clark, G.T., 1874, 'Bridgenorth, Oldbury and Quatford' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol29 p263-73 [reprinted in MMA]
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • The Anglo-saxon Chronicle; Laud Chronicle AD1102 http://omacl.org/Anglo/ [Text based on Everyman Press edn of 1912]
    Giraldus Cambrensis, c.1183, Description of Wales [http://www.building-history.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Primary/Gerald.htm]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p409-10
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/shropseng.html#shrops6]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p392, 393, 396
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol2 p85 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl02lelauoft
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Gaffney, C, Gater, J (2000) 'Geophysical Survey: Bridgnorth, Shropshire' , Report No. 2000/109. Geophysical Surveys of Bradford (GSB Prospection): Thornton, Bradford http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/library/greylit/details.cfm?id=2939&det=y
    Time Team (Mike Aston et al), 2001 (1st broadcast), 'The Leaning Tower of Bridgnorth, Shropshire' Time Team TV Programme (Time Team, a Videotext/Picture House production for Channel 4)
    Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, 1986, Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 31098 (13/10/1986)