Clun Castle

Clun Castle stands on a bend of the River Clun in the small town of Clun, Shropshire. The castle’s main keep rises on a large motte above the river, which forms a natural defence on two sides. Three smaller mounds around the motte support the castle’s earthworks and walls. The remains of an earlier square keep sit on the highest point of the motte, dating from the 11th or 12th century. A ruined bridge once linked the motte to the south-west mound, leading towards the town’s gatehouse. The castle was built by Robert de Say after the Norman invasion and became a key Marcher lord stronghold in the 12th century. It was later owned by the Fitzalan family, who turned it into a hunting lodge in the 14th century. By the 16th century the castle had fallen into ruin and was slighted after the English Civil War. The Duke of Norfolk still holds the title of Baron Clun and the castle is managed by English Heritage. Visitors see the tall four-storey great keep, its rectangular walls and pilaster buttresses still standing. The ground floor was used for storage while the upper floors housed the family, each with its own fireplace and windows. Remains of turrets, a round tower and domestic buildings like a grange and bakehouse can be found within the bailey. Beyond the river, traces of a pleasure garden and a fish pond mark the castle’s former grounds. The motte’s steep sides and the river’s curve give the site a dramatic setting.