WILTON CASTLE

Herefordshire

Yet another of Herefordshire's over-grown ruins, Wilton Castle stands across the River Wye from the beautiful town of Ross-on-Wye.

This quite extensive Castle was built to guard one of the few crossing places of the River Wye, and follows rather vaguely the motte and bailey plan it originally had. The stone Castle was built by Roger de Grey late in the 13th century, but by the mid 1500s was in decay. A new house was built in its walls, a good deal of which remains mixed in with the older stonework.  Sir John Brydges, who owned the Castle during the Civil War, remained neutral.  However, the Castle was still burnt by Parliament to stop it being garrisoned.  In 1722 the ruins were sold - rather bizarrely - to Guy's Hospital in London.  In 1784 the ancient title of Lord Grey of Wilton was revived and in 1801 an Earldom of Wilton was created.

The Castle was patched up once more in the 19th century and a "new-new" house was built in its walls which is still a residence today.  The Castle can be viewed in part from a public footpath.

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2001