Shotwick Castle
Encyclopedia
Shotwick Castle was a medieval fortification near the village of Saughall
, Cheshire
, England. It is a scheduled monument.
, 1st Earl of Chester had Shotwick Castle built about 1093. The design encompassed an earth
motte
with an outer bailey above the River Dee
. Its main purpose was to defend a tidal ford
across the river between England and Wales.
In the 12th and 13th centuries the castle was enlarged and improved. A hexagonal stone wall was erected around the inner enclosure and the motte was topped with a masonry shell keep
. The large moat, which flooded at high tide, was 25 metres (82 ft) wide and 3 metres (9.8 ft) deep. The castle was also protected defensively by steep river banks and two water courses that flowed into the river at this point. (In the 18th Century the Dee was canalised destroying the ford and original features.)
Several kings of England, including Henry II
and Henry III
stayed at the castle during their campaigns against the Welsh. In September 1284 Edward I
visited Shotwick on his way to Flint Castle
from Chester Castle
.
The castle was eventually taken over by The Crown
in the late 13th century. In 1327, a deer park was created in the manor of Shotwick for Edward III
. The castle was turned into a hunting lodge with gardens. The new landscaping was roughly contemporary to Bodiam Castle
, East Sussex
, which was built in 1384.
Shotwick Castle was in ruins by the 17th century in what had become Shotwick Park
.
Saughall
Saughall is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is situated approximately north west of Chester and close to the Welsh border....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It is a scheduled monument.
History
Hugh LupusHugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester
Hugh d'Avranches , also known as le Gros and Lupus was the first Earl of Chester and one of the great magnates of early Norman England.-Early career:...
, 1st Earl of Chester had Shotwick Castle built about 1093. The design encompassed an earth
Earthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
with an outer bailey above the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
. Its main purpose was to defend a tidal ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
across the river between England and Wales.
In the 12th and 13th centuries the castle was enlarged and improved. A hexagonal stone wall was erected around the inner enclosure and the motte was topped with a masonry shell keep
Shell keep
A shell keep is a style of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure circling the top of a motte.In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall...
. The large moat, which flooded at high tide, was 25 metres (82 ft) wide and 3 metres (9.8 ft) deep. The castle was also protected defensively by steep river banks and two water courses that flowed into the river at this point. (In the 18th Century the Dee was canalised destroying the ford and original features.)
Several kings of England, including Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
and Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
stayed at the castle during their campaigns against the Welsh. In September 1284 Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
visited Shotwick on his way to Flint Castle
Flint Castle
Flint Castle located in Flint, Flintshire, was the first of a series of castles built during King Edward I's campaign to conquer Wales.The site was chosen for its strategic position in North East Wales...
from Chester Castle
Chester Castle
Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...
.
The castle was eventually taken over by The Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
in the late 13th century. In 1327, a deer park was created in the manor of Shotwick for Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. The castle was turned into a hunting lodge with gardens. The new landscaping was roughly contemporary to Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, which was built in 1384.
Shotwick Castle was in ruins by the 17th century in what had become Shotwick Park
Shotwick Park
Shotwick Park is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Located near the village of Shotwick, it is four miles north west of Chester and close to the Welsh border....
.