Clifford Castle and Barbican

Clifford Castle stands on a steep cliff above the River Wye in Herefordshire. The fortress was built in 1070 by William FitzOsbern as a motte-and-bailey stronghold to guard a planned Norman settlement. A dam on the river created a shallow lake around the castle, making it hard to attack. The site later passed through the de Clifford family, including Rosamund Clifford, mistress of Henry II. After rebellions and sieges in the 13th century, the castle lost its military value and was abandoned. The ruins include a large motte topped by a shell keep with five towers. Excavations in the 1920s and 1950s uncovered gatehouse remains, curtain walls and artefacts like arrowheads and a Roman brooch. A twin-towered gatehouse from the mid-13th century still stands near the motte. The dam’s earthworks show how the river was controlled to flood the valley. Today the castle is part of a private estate with limited public access. The surviving stonework shows the strength of the original design. The River Wye still flows north of the ruins, and a railway once ran close by. The site’s history is visible in the standing walls and scattered masonry.