Cheney Longville Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Cheyney Longville; Longefeld

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

The monument is situated at Castle Farm, to the north west of Cheney Longville village and includes the earthwork and buried remains of a moated site, parts of the associated water management features and a number of post-medieval tanning pits. Approximately 150m north east of the moated site is Cheney Longville ringwork castle which is the subject of a separate scheduling. The manor of Longville was owned by the Cheney family from the early C14 and in 1395 Richard II granted Roger Cheney a licence to crenellate his house there [Actually 1394 to Hugh Cheney]. The property passed to the Plowdens in C17, and onto the Beddoes family during C18. The north western and north eastern moat ditches have been largely infilled, but they will survive as buried features, and the remains of an earthen bank at the eastern corner of the moated site indicates that the north eastern moat arm was originally bounded by a retaining bank which continues along the south eastern side of the moat. A narrow bank or spur divides the south eastern moat arm into two parts; here therefore, it takes the form of two parallel channels which are believed to have been associated with fish breeding. Access to the moated island is by means of a stone bridge across the now infilled north western moat ditch. The moated island is occupied by a group of stone buildings constructed on a courtyard plan believed to be medieval in origin .. [more on buildings]. Immediately to the north of the moated site is a large retaining bank, up to 2.5m high, which has been constructed across a stream channel (now channelled below the ground surface). The pond formed behind this dam is now dry and would have originally extended over a large area to the north and north west of the moated site. Together with the other water management features surrounding the moated platform it would have served to enhance the visual impact, and thus the status, of the buildings which occupied the platform. (EH scheduling report 1997)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 460402)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO41758476

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 109036
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 00162 '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.ewgreen.org.uk/cheney.htm
• Books
  • Duckers, Peter and Anne, 2006, Castles of Shropshire (Stroud: Tempus) p54-57
    Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern) p34-5
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p476
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p211
    Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p17
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p422
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p207
    Pevsner, N., 1958, The Buildings of England: Shropshire (London, Penguin) p96
    Wall [after Downham], 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Shropshire Vol1 p407-8
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p420 [where identified as Longfield, near Dartford, Kent]
• Journal Articles
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    1912, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol2 p2n
    1905, Caradoc and Severn Valley Field Club Vol6 p91 [poor]
    Stackhouse-Acton, F., 1877-8, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol1 p119-28
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1392-96) p500
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • English Heritage, 1997, Scheduling Papers (New Scheduling, 18/02/1997)