Caldwall Castle

Caldwall Castle stands in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, as a single surviving tower of a once larger manor house. The original building had four towers arranged around a courtyard, similar to Stokesay Castle in Shropshire. Built in the fourteenth century by Sir Hugh de Cokesay, it passed through several families over the centuries. The Wyntour family rebuilt parts of it in the fifteenth or sixteenth century, creating the structure now called Caldwall Tower. Later owners added a brick-built extension in the late seventeenth century and renovated the building further. The manor changed hands many times, owned by the de Clare family in the sixteenth century and the Jeffrey family by the late eighteenth. George Turton acquired it in 1864, and after his death the Corporation of Kidderminster took control. They used the building for various purposes, including a school, government offices, and even an air raid headquarters. By the mid-twentieth century, the castle had fallen into disrepair and was demolished in 1961, leaving only the tower standing. Today the tower is a private residence after being restored by Richard and Nely Davies. The Grade II* listed building remains a reminder of Kidderminster’s past. Its surviving tower rises above the town, offering a glimpse of medieval architecture. The site is no longer open to the public, but its history is still recognised in the local area.