Urishay constitutes the remains of a castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

 located about 2.5 km west of Peterchurch

Peterchurch

Peterchurch is a village and civil parish in the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, England, which has a Norman church, dedicated to St. Peter, built on the unusual basilica model with four, rather than three chambers. The church's foundations are thought to go back to 786, and parts of the Saxon walls...

 in Herefordshire

Herefordshire

Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...

, 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...

.

History of the site

The first part of the name Urishay is derived from "Ulric" or "Urri" who was a twelfth-century tenant of the estate. The second part of the name comes from the word "Hay", meaning an enclosure in open woodland where wild game could be trapped.

Although the location is referred to as Urishay Castle, there is some doubt as to whether it actually served as such or whether it was just a large house.

Urishay Castle today

There are remains of a 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...

 on which lies a ruined house dating back to the 17th or 18th centuries. The ruins of Urishay Castle Chapel

Urishay Castle Chapel

Urishay Castle Chapel is a redundant chapel to the north of Urishay Castle, some west of the village of Peterchurch in Herefordshire, England . It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches...

, which dates to the 12th century, are owned and maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches

Friends of Friendless Churches

Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...

. The chancel

Chancel

In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...

 contains a stone altar with five crosses on its surface.

Urishay Castle 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...

 and has a listed building status of "Not Listed".

Baker University

The Collins Library at Baker University

Baker University

Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...

 in Baldwin City, Kansas

Kansas

Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...

houses a 17th-century room claimed to have come from Urishay Castle. The room, which was installed around 1908, is known today as the Urishay Room.

Further reading & external links

• Friends of Friendless Churches: Urishay Chapel
• Historic Herefordshire: Castles of Herefordshire contains a detailed description of Urishay Castle today including an illustration of the remains.
• The Urishay Castle Room at Baker University
• Photos of Urishay Castle on geograph
• Castle Facts - Urishay Castle