Discover Bishop's Castle

A short history

Originally part of the Saxon manor of Lydbury North, land was given to the Bishop of Hereford by the lord of the manor, Egwin Shakehead, after he was cured of palsy at the tomb of St. Ethelbert in Hereford Cathedral. A castle was built in the 11th century and a town gradually grew around it. The castle stood until the 17th century and now only a mound remains.

It was a borough from the 13th century (until 1967) and was entitled to hold weekly markets but did not get a royal charter until 1573. From 1585 the town returned two Members of Parliament and was one of the smallest boroughs in England. This privilege ended with the Reform Act of 1832 which did away with this and other "rotten boroughs".

In 1861 an Act of Parliament was obtained to allow the construction of a railway line from Bishop's Castle to Lydham Heath, where it would join a line from Craven Arms to Montgomery. Despite some difficulties with the appointed contractor, the line opened to Lydham Heath in 1865 but within a year was placed into the hands of a receiver as it failed to raise sufficient revenues. Amazingly, it continued to operate under the receiver until 1935 when it was finally closed. A museum was set up in the town in 1989 by the Bishop's Castle Railway Society.

At the south end of the High Street the church of St.John the Baptist dates from 1219 and has elements of an original tower, the rest having been rebuilt in 1860. At the other end of the street is the Town Hall of 1765. Nearby the "House on crutches", so called because the upper floor is supported by wooden pillars, has appropriately housed a museum since 1993.

The occupations and industries of the town have always revolved around agriculture. Brewing has been carried out since at least the 17th century when The Three Tuns public house obtained a licence and the tradition continues in the town to this day.

Local and family history resources

Bishop's Castle Library has a small collection of printed material about the town and the surrounding area. Shropshire Archives, in Shrewsbury, is the county repository for original documents and has the following range of material. For further details please follow the link below.

Related Links on other Websites

• Local and family history resources for Bishop's Castle