Whittington Castle

The village of Whittington, near Oswestry is the setting for the remains of a feudal fortress. Whittington Castle is first mentioned in 1138, when it was fortified by the Norman Chief, William Peverell against King Stephen.


Although little remains today of Whittington Castle to suggest the glory of its magnificent hey-day, the gatehouse towers are still standing, reflected in the clear water of the moat, home to a small community of swans and ducks. Whittington Castle looks especially good when floodlit, with the light reflected in the water of the moat.


The famous Bishop Howe, a son of Shrewsbury and author of the hymn 'For All The Saints', was a rector of the Georgian church in Whittington for 28 years.


William Peverell, the reputed son of William the Conqueror, who had fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 was given property and lordships in Derbyshire and he was also awarded Whittington castle. William Peverell demolished the original wooden castle and replaced it with one built from stone. The castle's position on the border with Wales gave it a valuable role in history and the Peverells held it until the twelfth century. On the death of William Peverell, the castle passed to his son Pain Peverell, who in turn left it to his son William. This is where the male right to succession seemed to end, as William had no son, only two daughters.


In the early twelfth century, ownership of Whittington Castle passed from the Peverells to Warine de Metz who became founder of the line of Fulk-Warines. Warine de Metz was succeeded by Fulk Fitz Warine, his son, who was knighted by Henry I. The next Fulk became a famous warrior, fighting and slain in the battle of Lewis, Sussex. He left a son and heir, and a daughter called Eve. In 1221 Fulk was given a licence to fortify the Castle, to repel Welsh invaders.


The main feature of the new defences at Whittington was a rectangular inner bailey, en-circled by a stone wall with semi-circular towers at it four corners. A succession of Fulks followed, one of which was also a warlike warrior, who attended the Black Prince into Gascoigne and the Earl of Warwick into Flanders, amongst other places. This Fulk expressed a wish that upon his death he be buried in the chancel of the church at Whittington. It is rumoured that his remains, found in an Oak coffin three inches thick, were found in the porch of the present St. John the Baptist church in the eighteenth century. Fulk Fitz Warine III and his family held the castle at Whittington until 1420, upon the extinction of the male line.