Goodrich Castle

SO 51 NE GOODRICH CP - SO 52 SE

6/46 3/46 Goodrich Castle

I

Castle. C12 keep, C13 east curtain and foundations of south-west tower, remainder dates from early C14 rebuilding. Later C14 outer ward and barbican. Coursed and squared red sandstone rubble, grey sandstone keep. Ashlar dress- ings. Outer ward to west and to north with traces of outer walls and towers to south-west and to north-west and large semi-circular fronted barbican to north-east with two-span bridge and causeway connecting with gatehouse; castle basically rectangular in plan with curtain walls and circular towers rising from spurred square bases to south-east, south-west and north-west corners, gatehouse and chapel tower to north-east, inner courtyard; Norman keep to south, former great hall to west, solar to north, chapel within gatehouse complex and traces of further domestic buildings to east. Towers:formerly of three stages, traces of roll moulding below lost parapet to south-east tower, embrasures and loop windows with square-headed surrounds, curtain walls with traces of cruciform shaped loop windows to east wall and further embrasures. Gatehouse: three stages, vaulted gateway with two portcullis grooves at either end, main archway with segmental pointed head and rounded jambs. Chapel tower: to south side of gatehouse,three stages with C15 window of 3-trefoil headed lights to east of first floor of Chapel, similar window to west with hoodmould, further single-light trefoil headed windows, loops light slim octagonal stair tower to north-west corner of chapel tower. Keep: three stages with pilaster buttresses and clasping buttresses, chevron embellished string course at second floor level, loops light staircase in north-west corner, 2-light windows with semi-circular headed surrounds and hoodmould, engaged shafts to responds with scalloped impost, window on first floor of east face possibly originally a doorway, segmental-pointed doorway on ground floor: Great Hall: transomed trefoil-headed lights to outer wall, and large fireplace with corbelled hood. The castle is moated to the south and east. "Extensive and remarkably complete border castle and an important example of Military Architecture" (Radford). From the C14 it belonged to the Talbot family, it changed allegiances during the Civil War and was eventually besieged and taken in 1646. The castle has since remained a ruin and is in the guardianship of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission. Scheduled Ancient Monument. (BoE; RCHM Vol I, p 74/78; DoE Guidebook).

Listing NGR: SO5768519990