Stokesay Castle

Stokesay Castle stands in the Shropshire village of Stokesay, beside a moat fed by a nearby brook. Built in the late 13th century by Laurence of Ludlow, a leading wool merchant, it replaced an earlier castle owned by the de Lacy family. The present stone hall and solar block face a walled courtyard, protected by two towers. A timber and plaster gatehouse from the 17th century marks the entrance. Though never a serious military work, its style echoes the grand castles Edward I built in North Wales. The castle passed through many hands before becoming the property of William Craven, Earl of Craven, who supported King Charles I. After a short siege during the First English Civil War the house was lightly damaged and remained in use. In the 18th century it was rented out for farming and industry until John Britton the antiquarian found it neglected in 1813. Later restorations by the second Earl of Craven and John Derby Allcroft returned the buildings to something close to their medieval form. Visitors today walk through the gatehouse into a quiet courtyard overlooked by the stone hall. The hall still shows its original 13th-century wooden-beamed ceiling, while the solar block retains carved figures from the 17th century. The moat and surrounding walls frame views of the countryside, and the largely unfurnished interiors let the medieval structure speak for itself. English Heritage has kept additions to a minimum, so the place feels little changed since Laurence of Ludlow’s time.