Baginton Castle

Baginton Castle stands in Baginton, Warwickshire, among dense woodland. Built originally in the 12th century by Geoffrey Savage, it was later rebuilt as a stone keep in the late 14th century. The surviving ruin visible today dates from that later period. Little trace remains of the earlier motte and bailey, though its location has been pinpointed. The site once included a 7th-century house before the castle was constructed. The castle’s history includes notable figures and events. Sir William Bagot rebuilt it around 1397 after it fell into disrepair. Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, was imprisoned there in 1403 following his son’s defeat at the Battle of Shrewsbury. By the 16th century, the castle was described as ‘desolate’ by John Leland. Francis Goodere bought it in 1544, and his son Henry later sold it to raise funds. Visitors today find a quiet ruin partly re-excavated in 2009. The 14th-century keep forms the main structure, surrounded by woodland. Earthworks from the 12th-century motte and bailey survive nearby, along with remnants of the 7th-century house. A surviving ditch runs along the eastern side, and the site of the original motte may lie beneath a gazebo. The remains are protected as a Grade II listed building and Scheduled Monument.