Tyrley Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Tirley

In the civil parish of Sutton Upon Tern. In the historic county of Staffordshire (Modern Authority of Shropshire, 1974 county of Shropshire).

C18 farmhouse stands on the site of Tyrley castle which was probably built soon after the conquest by the Pantulfs. It was enlarged and improved in the last quarter of C13, mentioned in 1281 as incomplete, and fell into disuse in C14. Mound of sorts under modern farm.
A rise in the value of the Manor between 1066 and 1086 supports the conjecture of a castle here. Probably soon after the Conquest a rude fortification of earthwork and timber was made here.. This was enlarged and improved in the last quarter of the C13 ..by Ralph le Boteler...In the C14 extent it is called simply the capital messuage or manor house. The castle is not mentioned in the sale of the Manor (1532) but appears in the Court Rolls prior to 1583 and the name was in general use after that date. The castle hill is a ridge about 300yds long with an almost sheer descent on the northern side, but sloping gradually towards the east west and south... The original Norman keep must have stood about in the middle of the present farmhouse upon a knob of rock; and this was no doubt the central point of the stone building erected in the C13. Excavations in 1884 and 1910 revealed a long stretch of the outer wall of the later castle. These foundations were largely rubble but two courses of chamfered plinth stones were found in situ. These were removed and have been re-erected in the garden at Peatwood, half a mile to the east. Outside these foundations the ancient ditch, eighteen feet wide and filled up with black soil was found. Some ashes, two old Broseley pipe bowls and some brown and yellow slip pottery were also dug up; and it would seem there had been a fire at some time. There is a depression on the western side of the house towards the garden suggesting that the ditch continued round that side. Some holes were dug there, but nothing of interest was found. On the north side of the house there is some stone ashlar work, with a chamfered plinth and a rounded corner, which may be a remnant of the C13 building.... The bailey was probably on the north east side of the keep on a lower level, the site being occupied by the existing farm buildings. (Twernlow 1946)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ67883371

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 72509
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 03799 '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.

• Books
  • Duckers, Peter and Anne, 2006, Castles of Shropshire (Stroud: Tempus) p166-7
    Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern) p81
    Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Lynam, C., 1908, in Page, Wm. (ed), VCH Staffordshire Vol1 p370-1 [plan]
    Eyton, R.W., 1854-1860, Antiquities of Shropshire p193
• Journal Articles
  • Cantor, Leonard, 1966, 'The Medieval Castles of Staffordshire' North Staffordshire Journal of Field Studies Vol6 p38-46
    Twemlow, F.R., 1945-6, Staffordshire Historical Collections Vol68 p17, 33-6