Shipbrook Castle Hill

Description

The site of a Norman castle is indicated by the name of Castle Hill, between Shipbrook Bridge, and Shipbrook Hill Farm. The remains are said to have actually existed on this spot circa 1850 {sic - actually cleared c. 1790} and to have been cleared away under the direction of Mr. Edward Tomkinson (Ormerod). Probably a mound (Clark). No trace of a castle, or information concerning one, was found. Shipbrook Hill Farm is on a river escarpment and there is no high ground between there and the bridge. Three stone lintels of ogee-headed windows with carved heads above lying at SJ 6751 7102 are the only trace of antiquity in the vicinity. They are of doubtful date (Field Investigators Comments–F1 JHW 25-MAY-64). Some stones are located at the informant's farm, said to be from Shipbrook Castle, and to answer roughly to the description above. As at 2007 the best-preserved example, of sandstone, appears to have been the apex of an archway with a head carved on it, but is much weathered (Oral information). Described as an example of a baronial castle, several of which were built during the Welsh Wars. Little remains of most of these structures (Husain). (PastScape)

Comments

King writes destroyed in C18, a little doubtful. Shipbrook castle seems to have history as being in possession of Richard de Vernon, mentioned in Domesday. Not near medieval settlement but overlooking a river crossing. The mound in the flood plain of the river so almost certainly not a barrow, or windmill mound. Clearly whatever earthworks were here were capable of clearance in a time before bulldozers and this suggests a relatively small mound. Possibly a small castle more symbolic of the status of the tenant of the farmstead. The scant masonry remains and again the relatively easy clearance suggest the stonework form of the castle was domestic.