Shrewsbury Castle
SHREWSBURY CASTLE, CASTLE GATES
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1246877
- Date first listed:
- 10-Jan-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Shrewsbury Castle
- Statutory Address:
- SHREWSBURY CASTLE, CASTLE GATES
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-06-24
- Reference:
- IOE01/08309/26
- Rights:
- © Mr Michael Nicolle. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1246877
- Date first listed:
- 10-Jan-1953
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 17-Nov-1995
- List Entry Name:
- Shrewsbury Castle
- Statutory Address 1:
- SHREWSBURY CASTLE, CASTLE GATES
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- SHREWSBURY CASTLE, CASTLE GATES
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Shrewsbury
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 49440 12881
Details
SHREWSBURY
SJ4912NW CASTLE GATES 653-1/11/159 (East side) 10/01/53 Shrewsbury Castle (Formerly Listed as: CASTLE GATES (East side) The Castle)
GV I
Remains of castle. Largely late C12-c1300, with various later modifications. Mostly red sandstone. PLAN: inner bailey wall, gateway and main hall survive. Curtain wall surrounds the inner bailey, built of coursed and squared red sandstone in several phases between 1164 and 1300. Walkway and crenellations survive in part. Gateway also late C12, with roll moulded outer archway with C17 wood panelled doors. Main hall in NW of bailey: begun in 1164 and enlarged 1300 and 1596. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 6-window range entered at first-floor level to right through steeply arched doorway with engaged shafts and moulding. This storey largely of c1300, over earlier structure to ground floor, begun 1164. Paired round-arched lancets to ground floor, and narrow doorway with shafts. Y-traceried windows in upper storey, and wide crenellated parapet. This upper storey built 1596 and re-fenestrated by Thomas Telford in 1780. Polygonal towers of c1300 at western angle, and to NE. INTERIOR: hall reveals complex building history: its present character is largely the result of a series of restorations, including the removal of a floor to open the second and third storeys together, and the removal of partitions introduced by Thomas Telford. Roof is late C16, with 8 trusses with moulded tie beams and principal rafters. Short king posts with carved decoration and fretted carving in the spandrels. Trusses to east and west are slightly different, and may be later reconstructions. Close studded screen at eastern end of hall, with gallery over added in 1643. Fragmentary remains of moulded cornice mark the original height of the walls. Fireplace with hood (renewed) against north wall. In the NW tower, a circular room with plaster panelled walls articulated by pilasters with swags, and a dado cornice. Enriched plaster work ceiling. This decoration formed part of the remodelling of the castle carried out by Telford c1780. HISTORICAL NOTE: the earliest castle on the site was a motte and bailey built by Roger de Montgomery of which no traces survive. It is possible that this itself replaced an earlier Saxon fortification. The castle was a royal castle until the time of Edward I, and Henry II and Edward I were both responsible for major programmes of building. Repair work was carried out during the Civil War in 1643, and the castle was again renovated in c1780 by Thomas Telford for Sir William Pulteney. In 1924 the Shropshire Horticultural Society purchased the castle and carried out an extensive programme of restoration which included removal of all the internal partitions introduced by Telford. Further alterations took place in 1985 when the castle was converted to house the Shropshire Regimental Museum. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Shropshire: Harmondsworth: 1858-).
Listing NGR: SJ4944012884
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 455424
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Shropshire, (1958)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 14:49:19.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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