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Visiting Wilton Castle
Wilton Castle ruins stand on the banks of the River Wye in Herefordshire, England. The restored castle was a Norman 12th-century construction possibly replacing a motte and Bailey fortress of earthwork and timber. Visitors may view the exterior of the castle only as it is a private residence.
Parking
Visitors will find Wilton Castle just off the B4260 Wilton Road. However, it’s a private residence, and visitors may no longer access the site without the owner's consent. There’s a public car park on Wilton Road, and visitors may view the ruins from a public footpath accessed just across from the Wilton Bridge.
Price
Wilton Castle is no longer open to the public, so there’s no official entrance fee. The present owners have since fulfilled their contract with English Heritage, the partners for the castle restoration. As of 2021, Wilton Castle is considered a private property and is currently for sale.
Opening
Alan and Sue Parslow fulfilled their contract with English Heritage and no longer have their designated 28 opening days a year. However, the official site has a contact number and email address should you wish to enquire regarding opening days should the owners decide to allow public access in the future:
Location and Access
Visitors can locate Wilton Castle at:
Wilton
Ross-on-Wye,
Herefordshire
England
HR9 6AD
Wilton is the private residence of Alan and Sue Parslow, who have lovingly restored the castle and subsequently offered the castle and property for sale at £1,495,000. Having fulfilled their contract with English Heritage, there are no longer designated opening days.
You may walk a circuit of Wilton Castle on the public footpath near the layby opposite the Castle and gardens just before you reach the bridge.
Know Before You Go
- Wilton castle and gardens are under private ownership, and visitors may not enter the grounds without permission from the owners.
- Visitors may view the castle exterior from a public walkway accessed across from the Wilton bridge.
- Be aware that the area around Wilton Castle may become quite boggy in the rainy season, so visitors should wear sensible shoes when viewing the castle exterior.
Places To Stay Nearby
Premier Inn Ross-On-Wye Hotel
The Premier Inn Ross-on-Wye is neatly situated next to the A40 and M50 between England and Wales. Historic monuments abound, and nature lovers may visit the Forest of Dean and Brecon Beacons. The hotel offers an in-house restaurant, and each room has an en suite and free Wi-Fi access. The rooms are competitively priced and start at £72.50 for a standard room.
The King's Head Hotel
The King’s Head Hotel is a rustic hotel, dating back to the 14th-century. The hotel is ideally situated in the centre of the picturesque market town on Ross-on-Wye. Guests of the hotel get to experience the historic feel, with wood beams, open fireplaces, and even resident ghosts! Standard rooms start at £89.
Castle Lodge Hotel
You may find Castle Lodge Hotel only yards away from Wilton Castle in Ross-on-Wye. The family-run hotel offers:
- Ten tastefully decorated rooms,
- A restaurant,
- A coffee bar, and
- A lodge bar.
Standard en suite rooms start at £70
History of Wilton Castle
Wilton Castle occupied a strategic point controlling the river crossing and a major route between Gloucester and Hereford. Historians believe the 12th-century stone build replaced an earlier motte and bailey fort. Royalists slighted the castle during the English Civil war in 1645.
Time Line
-1150-1204
Historical records indicate that Longchamp owned the castlein 1188 and 1204, alluding to the fact that it was he who built the original castle. Henry I granted Longchamp the site and surrounding lands. The castle's strategic position ensured that the river crossing on Wye protected the route between Anglo-Saxon England and Wales.
-The Early 1200s
In the early 13th-century, the first castle stewards—the Longchamps—maintained ownership of the castle for three generations. The castle was later passed down by marriage as dowry to Reginald de Grey, Lord of the Honor of Monmouth, whose descendants would continue to occupy it.
-1377-1576
The descendants of Henry de Grey continued to occupy Wilton Castle until Sir William Grey, 13th Baron, fell into French hands defending the Castle Guisnes against French attack. The French demanded a 20,000 crown ransom (which is around £500,000 in today's currency).
The Greys clan had to place the castle and lands for sale to raise the sum, which fortunately never came to fruition. The castle remained in the family until it passed by marriage to Charles Brydges, the Cupbearer to King Philip.
-The 17th Century (Slighted)
During the English Civil War, Sir John Bridges escaped the conflict at home abroad in Ireland. On his return, he refused to allow the castle to be used as a Royalist garrison. His brother-in-law Barnabas Scudamore and his royalist counterpart Henry Lingen decided to exact revenge for Bridge's refusal.
-1731
Wilton Castle continued to remain unoccupied until 1731. The owners at the time then sold the castle and estate to the Trustee of Guy's Hospital. It remained under the ownership of the Trustees for over 200 years. The Trustees built a new home on the property and extended the home in the early 1900s.
-1961
The Trustees of Guy’s Hospital utilized the property, renting it out to farmers until 1961. In 1961, the Trustees of Guy's Hospital then sold the castle to the financier Charles Clare. After the private purchase by Charles Clare, the property was sold again and continued to change hands.
-2002
Alan and Sue Parslow purchased the castle in 2002 and began extensive restoration to the site with the assistance of English Heritage. They made part of the castle their residence and extensively developed the castle gardens. Wilton Castle is currently for sale at £1,495,000.
Wilton Castle Occupants
- 1150-1204: Hugh de Longchamp built and occupied Wilton Castle.
- Early 1200s: The castle passed through marriage to Reginald de Grey.
- 1377-1576: Generations of de Grey occupied Wilton Castle until passed on in marriage to Charles Brydges.
- In the late 1600s: Sir John Brydges occupied the castle, which fell under Royalist slighting due to John's refusal to allow the castle to function as a Royalist garrison.
- 2002: Alan and Sue Parslow bought the castle and occupied the site after extensive restoration and renovations.
Images of Wilton Castle
Images Supplied and licensed from Shutterstock Standard Licence Package
Wilton Castle Facts
- Wilton Castle is currently for sale, and the price is £1,495,000.
- The French captured William Grey, and his clan had to sell the castle to fund his heavy ransom.
- According to British Archeological reports, Wilton means "the estate amongst the willows."
- The castle site was once surrounded by a moat which created a rectangular island.
- Some of the surviving curtain walls and towers of Wilton Castle remain up to 25-30 feet (6m-9.1m).
Wilton Castle Q&A
What Kind of Castle Is Wilton Castle?
Wilton Castle is a 12th-century Norman Castle and is likely to have replaced an earlier 11th-century motte and bailey fort. Archaeologists cannot prove this definitively because builders made these 11th-century forts out of wood and earthworks, which leave little evidence.
What Remains of Wilton Castle?
Visitors may view the restored North-West Tower with outer garderobes (medieval toilets) on each floor. There’s also a chimney cap and hundreds of nesting boxes in the castle's interior walls to encourage pigeons, a favourite in the medieval diet. There are also remains of an Elizabethan manor house.
Location of Wilton Castle
The remains of the once-mighty Wilton Castle still stand overlooking the vital river crossing and essential route to Wales. The site used Wye River to the south as defence, and historians suggest that the castle occupied the site of an earlier motte and bailey fort.
However, this cannot be proven definitively because the motte and bailey tyle first were made of earthworks and wood. There was an additional build on the rectangular castle site, although the physical location of the castle did not move from its original construction area.
Other Places To Visit Near Wilton Castle
Goodrich Castle
Goodrich Castle, another grand castle on the River Wye, has stood guard over the river crossing since the 11th century. Most of the castle ruins date back to the 13th century and are the work of Henry III's half-brother William de Valence. The castle was the site of a historic siege in 1646.
St Mary's Church, Ross-on-Wye
This beautiful medieval church has stood since the 13th century when Robert de Betun, The Bishop of Hereford, built the house of worship. St Mary’s Church has been the centre of Christian worship in the area for 700 years and has a Plague Cross that stands memorial to the 300 townspeople hurriedly buried there during the plague of 1637.
Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo
The Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo offers an up-close look at these beautiful insects in their indoor interactive butterfly exhibit. The zoo offers rare and exotic species from around the world and aims to devalue the trade and collection of endangered butterfly species in nature.