Moreton Corbet castle
Encyclopedia
Moreton Corbet Castle is an English Heritage
property located near the village of Moreton Corbet
, Shropshire
, England
. It is a Grade I listed building. The ruins are from two different eras: a medieval stronghold and an Elizabethan era
manor house
. The buildings have been out of use since the 18th century.
In 1086 two Anglo Saxon thegn
s, Hunning and Wulfgeat, were living at Moreton Corbet. Perhaps they had a fortified structure here. By the early thirteenth century they had been replaced by another Englishman, Toret. His descendant Peter Toret was lord of Moreton Corbet by 1166 and it is likely that he was living in the castle. In February 1216 William Marshall
stormed Moreton Corbet castle on behalf of King John of England
against Bartholomew Toret. At this time the castle was known as Moreton Toret Castle. In 1235 Bartholomew died and Richard de Corbet, his son-in-law, inherited the castle and changed its name to Moreton Corbet.
The castle next saw action in the English Civil War
when the castle changed hands at least four times.
Moreton Corbet remains the property of the Corbet family
to this day.
In the 16th century, Andrew Corbet made many alterations to the gatehouse and the perimeter wall. When he died in 1579, his son, Robert Corbet, influenced by the classical architecture
overseas he had seen in his role as a diplomat, set about building a new mansion. Unfortunately, he died of the plague in 1583. After his death, his two brothers, Richard and Vincent Corbet, carried on with the building of the new manor, and leaving what was left of the original fortification.
, Moreton Castle was used as part of Royalist Shrewsbury
's defence. The castle was under siege
on more than one occasion, and badly damaged in the fighting. At one time, the castle was captured by just ten parliamentary troops. It was finally taken from what amounted to a 'home guard' force by a crack Parliamentarian regiment.
of two stories and a basement. It is difficult to date such structures and it could be as old as the eleventh century, although it more likely belongs to the twelfth. The tower was much used and rebuilt, finally becoming a storehouse for the sixteenth century house. It was still inhabited about 1700. From the keep an irregular and much rebuilt curtain wall ran to a rectangular gatetower which was much rebuilt in the sixteenth century. Between this and the later mansion a mid-sixteenth century hall was built. All the masonry is much pock-marked by musket
shot from the Civil War.
. The family moved to Acton Reynald Hall
in about 1800.
, who at the time of their persecution, was given protection by Vincent Corbet. But as the Puritans became more fanatical, Vincent Corbet felt he could no longer provide protection, and Paul Holmyard was forced to leave. Paul Holmyard took shelter in the nearby woods. One day, when Vincent Corbet was planning some more building work, Paul Holmyard appeared and put a curse on him. From that day, Vincent Corbet never lived in the building again.
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
property located near the village of Moreton Corbet
Moreton Corbet
Moreton Corbet is a small village in Shropshire, England, in the civil parish of Moreton Corbet and Lee Brockhurst. Its name refers to the Corbet Baronets, the local landowners....
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a 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. It borders Wales to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a Grade I listed building. The ruins are from two different eras: a medieval stronghold and an Elizabethan era
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
. The buildings have been out of use since the 18th century.
Medieval Stronghold
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
s, Hunning and Wulfgeat, were living at Moreton Corbet. Perhaps they had a fortified structure here. By the early thirteenth century they had been replaced by another Englishman, Toret. His descendant Peter Toret was lord of Moreton Corbet by 1166 and it is likely that he was living in the castle. In February 1216 William Marshall
William Marshall
-Politicians, noblemen and military leaders:*William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke , 12th-13th-century Anglo Norman nobleman*William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke -Politicians, noblemen and military leaders:*William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1146–1219), 12th-13th-century Anglo Norman...
stormed Moreton Corbet castle on behalf of King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
against Bartholomew Toret. At this time the castle was known as Moreton Toret Castle. In 1235 Bartholomew died and Richard de Corbet, his son-in-law, inherited the castle and changed its name to Moreton Corbet.
The castle next saw action in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
when the castle changed hands at least four times.
Moreton Corbet remains the property of the Corbet family
Corbet Baronets
There have been six Baronetcies created for members of the Corbet family, four in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. All creations are extinct...
to this day.
Elizabethan House
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
overseas he had seen in his role as a diplomat, set about building a new mansion. Unfortunately, he died of the plague in 1583. After his death, his two brothers, Richard and Vincent Corbet, carried on with the building of the new manor, and leaving what was left of the original fortification.
Civil War
During the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Moreton Castle was used as part of Royalist Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
's defence. The castle was under siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
on more than one occasion, and badly damaged in the fighting. At one time, the castle was captured by just ten parliamentary troops. It was finally taken from what amounted to a 'home guard' force by a crack Parliamentarian regiment.
The Ruins
The castle today consists of a fine rectangular keepKeep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
of two stories and a basement. It is difficult to date such structures and it could be as old as the eleventh century, although it more likely belongs to the twelfth. The tower was much used and rebuilt, finally becoming a storehouse for the sixteenth century house. It was still inhabited about 1700. From the keep an irregular and much rebuilt curtain wall ran to a rectangular gatetower which was much rebuilt in the sixteenth century. Between this and the later mansion a mid-sixteenth century hall was built. All the masonry is much pock-marked by musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
shot from the Civil War.
Current status
Although repaired after the Civil War, the buildings fell into disuse during the 18th century, and were partially demolished. They are still owned by the Corbet Family, but managed by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
. The family moved to Acton Reynald Hall
Acton Reynald Hall
Acton Reynald Hall is a 19th century country house at Acton Reynald, Moreton Corbet, Shropshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.The Corbet family abandoned nearby Moreton Corbet Castle...
in about 1800.
Haunting
It is said the grounds are haunted by the ghost of Paul Holmyard. He was a PuritanPuritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
, who at the time of their persecution, was given protection by Vincent Corbet. But as the Puritans became more fanatical, Vincent Corbet felt he could no longer provide protection, and Paul Holmyard was forced to leave. Paul Holmyard took shelter in the nearby woods. One day, when Vincent Corbet was planning some more building work, Paul Holmyard appeared and put a curse on him. From that day, Vincent Corbet never lived in the building again.