Shrewsbury Castle

Shrewsbury Castle
Shrewsbury Castle
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
	Shrewsbury Castle and grounds
Type	Castle
Site information
Owner	Shropshire Council
Open to; the public	Yes
Condition	Open
Site history
Built	1070
In use	1070–
Materials	Red sandstone

Shrewsbury Castle is a medieval castle located in the county town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England. It is built out of red sandstone and stands on a hill in the neck of the meander of the River Severn. It is directly above Shrewsbury railway station and is a Grade I listed building.

History

William the Conqueror gave orders to build a castle in Shrewsbury in around 1067. It was greatly extended under Roger de Montgomery in around 1070 as a base for operations into Wales, an administrative centre and as a defensive fortification for the town, which was otherwise protected by the loop of the River Severn. The castle later had town walls added; some of the town walls still remain today. The castle was briefly held by Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales, in 1215.

On 25 August 1992, the castle's regimental museum was attacked by the Provisional IRA. Extensive damage was done to the museum's collection and to some of the castle. The museum was officially re-opened by Princess Alexandra on 2 May 1995.

Gallery

The castle viewed from Laura's Tower
The castle viewed from the grounds