Photo source: Andy / Andrew Fogg from near Cambridge, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Stokesay Castle stands just south of Craven Arms in Shropshire, a fortified manor house begun around 1285.
It is widely considered the best-preserved medieval manor house in England, with its great hall, solar tower and curtain wall still largely intact.
A timber-framed gatehouse was added in the 1640s, giving the entrance a distinctly different character from the stone castle behind it.
English Heritage looks after the site today.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
The castle was built from around 1285 by Laurence of Ludlow, a wool merchant who had grown wealthy trading in Marches fleece. He received a licence to crenellate from Edward I in 1291. Ownership later passed to the Craven family. Because Stokesay saw almost no fighting and little later rebuilding, its medieval structure survived largely untouched into the modern era.
Architecture
The great hall keeps its original 13th-century timber roof, and the south tower retains its early wooden staircase, both rare survivals for a building of this age. The gatehouse, added in the 1640s, is timber-framed and sits in visible contrast to the stone walls and tower it fronts.
Gardens & grounds
A shallow moat and pond still surround part of the castle, though there are no formal gardens on site.
Facilities
Plan your visit
Nearest station: Craven Arms Rail Station (0.9 miles)
Open daily; check official website for current opening times.
Nearby properties