Clun Castle

Humans tend to be territorial beings. Battles continue to rage over control of land, borders expanding or contracting depending on the spoils of war. Britain's history continually reflects such disputes. The borders between England and its two neighboring nations, Wales and Scotland, were the sites of frequent warfare. The English monarchs have alternately waged war against the local populace or built walls to keep the Welsh and Scots at bay, barricaded from entering England. Earlier invaders also used barricades along the borderlands - Offa's Dyke and Hadrian's Wall are two examples. Today, the struggle for independence remains at the forefront of British politics, and patriots from Wales and Scotland strive to separate themselves from England's dominance. And in the Middle Ages, the separation between these lands was established by the creation of Marcher lordships.

The Welsh borderland is still known as "the Marches". After the Norman invasion in 1066, William the Conqueror granted extensive parcels of land along the borders to many of his most prized subjects. These men became Marcher Lords, with the right to build castles and rule their lands as if they themselves were kings. The Marcher Lords still owed allegiance to the English monarch, but had the freedom to administer their feudal estates as they saw fit, much to the displeasure of their Welsh vassals.

Below: view of the great tower at Clun, unusual because it is built into the side of the motte rather than the top.

Throughout the Welsh Marches, numerous castles were constructed, some great (like Ludlow or Goodrich), some small (Clun, Longtown, Hopton, Bishops Castle), but all symbolizing the Norman domination of Britain. Many of these Marcher castles have survived, some still occupied, some in outstanding repair, and others ruined but worthy of exploration.

One of these lesser Marcher castles sits in the small village of Clun, located in Shropshire about 10 miles east of the Welsh border. It is about 15 miles south of the pretty Welsh border town of Montgomery, which has its own fine castle ruins. Today the village encroaches upon the castle grounds, and the castle itself is camouflaged behind more recent structures. However, the site itself, with its interesting rectangular keep and two baileys, is easy to spot and well worth the brief trek to reach the keep.

Clun Castle started as a motte and bailey castle, built by the Norman, Robert de Say, around 1140-50, as part of the Marcher lordship known as the Honour of Clun. Overlooking the River Clun and close to the confluence of the Clun and River Usk, the site was chosen for its defensive advantage and the presence of a natural rocky mound which could easily serve as the motte. The castle was originally built with timber defenses, but, probably within 20 years, stone replaced the vulnerable wood and Clun Castle became a typical Norman fortress.

In 1196, Clun Castle was besieged and burned by the Welsh, under the leadership of the great Lord Rhys in 1196. However, it became the property of the prestigious Fitzalan family, who modified the structure into its present form (sans ruins!) and is responsible for the establishment of the associated village. The Fitzalans, lords of Clun and Oswestry, are better known as the Earls of Arundel, builders of mighty Arundel Castle in Southern England. Arundel is now the home of the Dukes of Norfolk, but many of the Fitzalans are interred in the adjacent chapel. While Clun Castle pales in comparison to the Fitzalan's fortress at Arundel, it is a marvelous example of a Marcher castle, intended to keep the unruly Welsh under Norman control.

Clun Castle is freely accessible to the public, the grounds of the baileys available for picnicking. This fine Marcher castle is only one of several in the area. Others will be discussed in future articles.

Lise Hull owns and operates Castles of Britain, an information and research web site providing a wide range of information on the castles of Britain. Mrs. Hull has a Masters Degree in Historic Preservation, and has visited well over 160 castles in Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland. She welcomes any and all questions concerning the castles of Britain, and invites people to visit her web site or contact her directly via e-mail at: castlesu@aol.com.