Allesley Castle

Hi Baz Allesley Castle, there is a thing. Time Team diggers had received requests for an on site investigation there, ten years ago, but I have not heard of any more since my friend involved with the walled garden died a few years ago. One thing that we can rely on is that human nature seldom changes & when ever I am looking at a historical event or issue, I just ask myself what would happen now.

I know someone who works for English Heritage, and I asked him about the 'ruins' of Allesley Castle. He checked on their database and said the site had been ruined and there was nothing there worth investigating now. Apparently, it's been dug up in the past and the excavation pits left open.

Here's some detail about Allesley Castle

Hello all again. Allesley Castle was as I believe of stone as picture shows. This was taken from a paper clipping (hope I don't break copyright rules) from a collection lent to me. The picture was taken in 1964. The land owner I think were Dugdales, of Nuneaton fame. It was said that at one time they could walk from here to the coast in Wales and not set foot off their land. I am trying to contact them for any infomation that they have. The old house in Allesley may have had something to do with the Castle.

This is very interesting - but the text mentions the Stone House on the right but doesn't show it in the picture! My late friend, Bernard Oakley, wrote an interesting book about Allesley and I think he discussed the castle ruins. I think they still sell it in the post office on the Birmingham Road. I'm sure the local history section at the Herbert would have some info as well.

There's this as well Not a lot there. In fact, this castle is shrouded in mystery. Was it just a post-conquest wooden Motte castle that later became a manorial home?

Hello Flapdoodle and all. It is possible that the castle was built around the early 14th century by a Lord William Hastings. I am trying to find if there is a connection. IF it is true about the 14th century, then it would have been of stone as this replaced wood in the building of castles around 1260. William Hastings (1st Baron Hastings) lived c.1431 13th June 1483 and was under King Edward IV. A sort of local connection was that Richard Neville (Earl of Warwick) gave Hastings a wife in the form of his widowed sister. And Hastings was the High Sheriff of Warwickshire at the time. That's as far as I have got so far.

The earthwork is a motte, which places it far earlier than the 14th century. According to an archaeologist friend of mine, it's quite common for motte & bailey castles that never got rebuilt in stone to be undocumented, and there's probably little that can learned from a dig on this site about the structure that stood on it - especially as it's been fairly badly treated over the years! (Apparently there's some concrete in it!)

It is said that the Great Wall around our city was started around 1356. If it is the case of a wooden type fort, or castle, then it would pre-date this. The Lunt Fort was around 64 AD. I wonder if any Roman artifacts have been found in Allesley?

I have been poking about on the 'net and it appears that there was a castle to the south of Allesley Hall. My house deeds include old maps of the area and they indicate ruins of a castle on the Allesley Park estate. I believe that this castle was in the wooded area just off The Jordans. Les

Hi. I lived in the Jordans for 35 years before moving to Bulkington. The wooded area you mention is what locals call The Spinney, we always thought it was a bomb hole, a sunken area surrounded by large trees. It's interesting to hear that it was more than that - thanks!

Hi all I often hope that when a topic like Allesley Castle is being discussed, as here on our history forum, that maybe a family member or an associate of the Allesley Hall estate might venture in with gems of info, particularly where the past owner was so involved with local journalism. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading & learning from the posts in here. Thank you. "Dovecotes"

When the Normans took control of England, they built a lot of castles quickly and most of these were wooden and built in the motte and bailey style. Many were then rebuilt in stone, but a lot were not. The original Coventry Castle dates from this period and was rebuilt in stone. One other possibility is that the earthwork was built during 'the anarchy', the civil war between King Stephen and Matilda. A lot of castles were built in this time as well (probably still using motte & bailey techniques) and a lot of them illegal (you needed to get permission to build one). The earthwork at Allesley could potentially date from this period. The civil war saw battles in the centre of Coventry, and resulted in Coventry Castle being destroyed. If the earthwork is some sort of 'castle', then it would definitely predate the city wall. I don't believe there's ever been any sort of dig at the Allesley.

Yes, it's a scheduled ancient monument - there's no ruins, as it's just an earthwork, probably the 'motte'. I went up there last year and had a look around it, but you can't see much. The site's been ruined as well - people have apparently dug bits up and there're some lumps of concrete in it!

Hi all, it looks like trying to get any more info on this site is looking grim. Most findings are already out there on the internet, "but not much". I don't think we are going to find much more out. But please prove me wrong. Thanks for all the input. Baz.