Hartlebury Castle
| Hartlebury Castle | |
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| Worcestershire, England | |
Hartlebury Castle museum
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 Hartlebury Castle
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| Coordinates | 52°20′19″N 2°14′32″W / 52.3386°N 2.2421°WCoordinates: 52°20′19″N 2°14′32″W / 52.3386°N 2.2421°W |
| Grid reference | grid reference SO836712 |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
Hartlebury Castle, a Grade I listed building, in Worcestershire, central England, was built in the mid-13th century as a fortified manor house on land given to the Bishop of Worcester by King Burgred of Mercia. It lies near Stourport-on-Severn in north Worcestershire. In the area close to Stourport there are several large manor and country houses, among which Witley Court, Astley Hall, Pool House, Areley Hall, Hartlebury and Abberley Hall (with its clock tower) are particularly significant.
The manor of Hartlebury belonged to the bishops of Worcester from before the Norman Conquest. The castle was thus one of the residences of the medieval bishops and their principal residence in later periods.
From the early 13th century until 2007, Hartlebury Castle was the residence of the Bishop of Worcester.
Bishop Walter de Cantilupe, a supporter of Simon de Montfort, began to fortify the Castle, which was embattled and finished by his successor, Godfrey Giffard, 1268. The gate-house was added in the reign of Henry VI by Bishop Carpenter.
In 1646 during the Civil War Hartlebury Castle was strongly fortified and held for King Charles I by Captain Sandys and Lord Windsor, with 120 foot soldiers and 20 horse (cavalry troopers), and had provisions for twelve months. When summoned by Colonel Thomas Morgan for Parliament, it surrendered in two days without firing a shot. The Castle was slighted, and the Parliamentary Commissioners seized the Castle and manor, and sold them to Thomas Westrowe for £3,133 6s. 8d. At the Restoration they were given back to the Bishop of Worcester.
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Wikipedia