Earl Shilton Castle: A Twelfth-Century Motte-and-Bailey Fortification
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.3
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Primary era
- Unclassified
- Eras represented
- Unclassified
- Civilizations
- Unclassified
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page6 sections
History
Fortification during the Anarchy
Earl Shilton Castle in Earl Shilton, United Kingdom, was probably begun as a twelfth-century motte-and-bailey fortification by Robert Bossu, 2nd Earl of Leicester, during the Anarchy, the civil war between supporters of King Stephen and Empress Matilda from 1135 to 1153. Built on Shilton Hill, it protected the earl’s interests and communications to the south and west, while forming part of the wider defence of the hill and the Vale of Kirkby.
The castle was built around an existing twelfth-century chapel dedicated to Saint Peter. Its defensive purpose ended after Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester, joined the rebellion led by Prince Henry against his father, King Henry II, in 1173. Henry ordered the castle’s destruction, although Earl Shilton Manor survived because it remained a valuable source of revenue. The fortress probably stood for about 30 to 40 years. No siege or fighting is recorded there, which may indicate that its defensive purpose was fulfilled without a recorded battle.
Manor, lodge, and park
After its destruction, the castle site was converted into a hunting lodge. Shilton Park was probably created by Simon de Montfort after he became Earl of Leicester. The park provided a stocked hunting ground associated with the manor and castle landscape. Following Simon de Montfort’s death, King Henry III briefly held the manor and park before granting them to his son Edmund “Crouchback” in 1272. The manor was thereafter held of Lancaster.
Remains
Castle earthworks and later use
Earl Shilton Castle occupied Shilton Hill between Church Street and Almey’s Lane, in an area locally known as Hall Yard. Its motte-and-bailey form combined a raised earthwork mound with a defended enclosure. The castle was supplied with water from nearby springs, now known as Spring Gardens. Following its destruction, the site became a hunting lodge, and stone from the castle was later reused when the parish church was rebuilt in 1854.
Shilton Park
Shilton Park lay below Shilton Hill and extended northwest towards Desford. It covered about 450 acres and was enclosed by a deep ditch and a high fence. As a stocked hunting ground connected with the manor and castle, the park formed part of the wider landscape that continued the site’s use after the fortress itself had been destroyed.
