Heighley Castle
Encyclopedia
Heighley Castle is a ruined medieval castle situated at Madeley
, Staffordshire
.
The castle was completed by the Audley family
in 1233 and for over 300 years was one of their ancestral homes. It was held for Charles I
during the English Civil War
and was destroyed by Parliamentary forces in the 1640s.
The ruinous remains comprise masonry fragments, mostly overgrown by vegetation. The site is protected by Grade II listed building status and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
.
The castle is privately owned and is not open to visitors.
Madeley, Staffordshire
Madeley is a village and ward in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, North Staffordshire, England. It is split into three parts: Madeley, Middle Madeley, and Little Madeley. Madeley Heath is also considered by many to be part of Madeley...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
.
The castle was completed by the Audley family
Audley-Stanley family
The Audley-Stanley family is a family with many notable members including the Earls of Derby who are descended from the early holders of Audley, Staffordshire. The first mention of Audley is in the Domesday book of 1086, when it was called Aldidelege , when the lands were held by an English thegn...
in 1233 and for over 300 years was one of their ancestral homes. It was held for Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and was destroyed by Parliamentary forces in the 1640s.
The ruinous remains comprise masonry fragments, mostly overgrown by vegetation. The site is protected by Grade II listed building status and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
.
The castle is privately owned and is not open to visitors.