Richard's Castle

Richard's Castle, situated on the border of Herefordshire and Shropshire near Ludlow, marks a rare example of a castle licensed by King Edward the Confessor in 1050. Built by Richard Fitz Scrob, one of only four castles permitted in the country during this period, it represents an important piece of Norman history. Today the fortress stands mainly as earthworks and foundations, with a polygonal keep on the high motte and bailey walls reaching twenty feet in places. Remains include several towers and an early gatehouse around the perimeter, creating an evocative landscape of medieval stone and earth. The castle's significance lies in its role in early Norman settlement and its exceptional preservation as an earthwork monument.