Stafford Castle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stafford Castle is a building near the town of Stafford in England. It was originally built in 1100 AD by the Normans to control the still hostile and rebellious native community after their invasion in 1066. It is built in the classic 'motte and bailey' style and the shape can still be seen today in the surrounding fields.

It was originally a timber fortification upon an artificial hill and upgraded later by Earl Ralph in 1347 by building a massive stone keep.

In 1444, Humphrey Stafford was created Duke of Buckinghamshire and the castle reached its heyday.

Early on during the Civil War it was defended by Lady Isabel but was eventually abandoned.

Rebuilt in the Gothic Revival Style in 1813, the castle fell into ruin through this century but is still standing, open to visitors and visible from the M6 motorway.

During the Victorian era, the exterior was clad in red bricks. When the castle later fell into disrepair a child was killed playing in the castle. Builders were employed to "make the building safe", and destroyed large parts of the building before realising that behind the red brick was a norman castle. Prior to this, Staffordshire historians appear to have lost large chunks of the county's history, and believed the Castle was merely a Victorian-era mansion.

The land surrounding the Castle has had a 'heritage trail' added to it, with boards explaining the Castle's history along the way. There is also a small museum nearby.

Every summer an open air Shakespeare play is performed in the grounds of the Castle, there is also an all day music festival showcasing local bands.